


Castle of the Crimson Flower

by tititenis



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Adult age is 18+, Crimson Flower Route, Doesn't exactly follow Crimson Flower Route, Edeleth, Everyone in the story is a consenting adult, F/F, F/M, Focuses on lore and politics, M/M, Post White Clouds, Pro Edelgard and Empire, Spoilers for all fire emblem routes, Takes Place 2 years after White Cloud Events, will add tags as necessary - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:00:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 26
Words: 118,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26965576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tititenis/pseuds/tititenis
Summary: Two years have gone by since Emperor Edelgard von Hresvelg took the throne and declared war against the Church of Seiros for their crimes against humanity. With the Kingdom of Faerghus aiding the Church and the Leicester Alliance remaining neutral due to internal conflicts, the war has hit a stalemate where neither side makes significant advances.That is until assassins are sent to kill Emperor Edelgard, who is saved by mercenary Byleth Eisner; also known as the Ashen Demon.Or the AU where Edelgard and Byleth do not meet at Garreg Mach but instead meet two years after the war between the Empire and the Church has started.
Relationships: Caspar von Bergliez & Linhardt von Hevring, Caspar von Bergliez/Linhardt von Hevring, Dorothea Arnault/Petra Macneary, Edelgard von Hresvelg & My Unit | Byleth, Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth, Ferdinand von Aegir & Hubert von Vestra, Ferdinand von Aegir/Hubert von Vestra
Comments: 209
Kudos: 496





	1. Prologue: Meeting the Emperor

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first Fire Emblem story! I'm excited and nervous about it. Like the tags say, this story will have the events of White Clouds be canon up until Edelgard declares war on the Church of Seiros. After that, the story is original with some elements that belong to the remaining routes.  
> Also, this story is Edeleth, with female Byleth and Edelgard. Hence, it will be very pro-Edelgard. There will also be graphic descriptions of violence since the story takes place in the middle of a war. Also, there will be spoilers for all routes of FE3H.  
> Apart from that, I hope you enjoy the story and let me know what you think :)

_ On the Outskirts of Enbarr, Year 1182 _

Staring at her surroundings, all she can see is darkness. And although the thought of the unknown scared her, she was getting used to it. The same dream, the same never-ending emptiness. The more she walked, she wasn’t even sure if it was forward or backwards, the less she could see. At times she just gave up and chose to stand still, hoping the dream would end. 

Yet this time she felt there was something different with the dream. Unlike all the other times when she couldn’t see a thing, this time it seemed as if there was a soft green light coming from the back of the space. But that couldn’t be, right? 

Carefully walking towards the light, the closer she gets to it, the clearer it becomes that this time the dream  _ is  _ different. At the bottom of the abyss she can see an ancient throne, one that she knew for certain she hadn’t seen before. The throne, which looked old, had one sole occupant on it. 

A girl from whom the light was coming from. 

Her hair was as green as the leaves of the forest and her wardrobe was like nothing she had ever seen before. A purple dress that fitted her loosely and what seemed to be a golden diadem bringing an ethereal feeling to the girl. 

As if she wasn’t of this world. 

Getting closer still, she realizes too late that her steps are echoing, the sound getting to the green-haired girl and waking her up from her slumber, green inquisitive eyes focusing on her right away. 

Silently waiting to see what would happen, she is surprised when the girl moves a little closer to take a look at her. 

“Oh my.” the girl yawns and gets more comfortable on the throne. “What could’ve brought you here?” 

Gasping, Byleth opens her eyes, having to take a couple of seconds to recover from her even stranger dream. Taking a deep breath, the mercenary turns around to take a look at the forest and mountains surrounding her. 

Right, she had chosen to take a short break on her way back to town and must have fallen asleep under the tree. Not that anyone could blame her, today was a great day and the wind was perfect enough to take a nap. 

Stretching her back a little from the uncomfortable position she had slept in, Byleth can’t stop herself from taking another deep breath, the familiar and welcoming smell of her surroundings immediately soothing her. Doing this, taking her time to ground herself, had become a ritual of hers since she had been able to escape from  _ that  _ place. __

Just thinking about it, that white castle that should have felt like a home but turned into a prison, made Byleth upset. It made that fear and doubt deep within her rise to the surface. Because, although many now knew her as the Ashen Demon; a fighter without emotions or feelings- remembering that awful place scared her. 

_ Stop. _

Standing up, Byleth knows she should start heading back to town, the game she had obtained from the forest her way to pay for another night at the inn. Always moving, never staying for too long; that was the way Byleth lived. And although she was growing weary of the lifestyle, she knew there was no other option for her. 

Not as long as that monster was alive. 

“Still…” she whispers to herself. “I wish things could be different.” she closes her eyes one last time and moves to pick her things up, ready to make her way back. 

Yet the closer she gets to the road, the better she can hear the familiar sound of horses, carriages and footsteps clanking. 

And she knew for certain what those things meant. 

Hiding, Byleth waits until she finally sees a big caravan confidently making its way forward, soldiers chanting and marching in perfect synchrony. Watching them go, it doesn’t take Byleth long to realize that these soldiers and carriages belong to the Adrestian Empire, which was a little surprising considering how close they were to the border of the Leicester Alliance. 

“Still, it has nothing to do with me so I’ll just wait until they pass by before heading back.” Byleth whispers to herself from her hiding place, carefully watching the extravagant parade move forward. 

Yet there was something that was bothering the mercenary about this. This route, while one could say was a familiar one, wasn’t that well-known. In fact, many mercenaries and bandits used it as a way to transport contraband or to organize assaults on unknowing nobles that had been tricked into taking the route. 

Which Byleth quickly realizes is exactly what’s happening with the sudden appearance of bandits, who without any kind of hesitation went to attack the Empire soldiers that were guarding the carriages.

The way they were able to coordinate their attacks, how they seemed to know each other and their abilities pretty well… 

They were too organized and talented to be simply bandits.

So why even try to pose as one? 

Turning to look at the carriage in the center of the caravan, Byleth notices that it was fancier than the other ones. Though it wasn’t obvious, the wheels and the finishes were too fine to be of a regular person or a lower noble. 

Which meant that the people inside that carriage were very important and these assassins had been hired to kill them. 

“Don’t spend too much time on the soldiers! We need to get her!” one of the assassins says. 

“She’s not on any of the carriages flanking the caravan!” a woman tells him while using a spell to get rid of a soldier. 

“Then she has to be on that one!” the assassin ,who seems to be the leader, points at the carriage that had been in the center of the caravan. 

The one that Byleth had also suspected was the one that had the important nobles. 

Watching the assassins move forward, Byleth can’t help but feel a little guilty about witnessing the assassins kill the many soldiers surrounding the caravan. In fact, it was only because of the assassins’ brutality that she was considering to intervene. 

Still watching the fight from her hiding spot, Byleth is surprised when the door of the center carriage opens and both a man and woman come out with their battle gear and weapons ready. 

The man, who seemed like a Dark Bishop, was throwing spells to the assassins that managed to pass the Imperial barricade. 

And the woman… 

Byleth had never seen someone as graceful and lethal as her. 

She was wearing a red dress, her hair put together by a crown and on her hands a powerful looking axe. But that wasn’t the only thing that had captivated Byleth: It was the confidence and the determination with which the woman was moving around the battlefield, her attacks calculating and careful. Almost as if she was saying she didn’t enjoy doing this but she knew there was no other choice. 

Yet amidst all the chaos of battle, Byleth noticed that an assassin had hidden in the shadows, probably waiting for the two nobles to leave the carriage to launch his attack. 

And neither had spotted him yet. 

Taking her bow out, Byleth grabs one arrow out and prepares to fire, watching the assassin stealthily make his way towards the noble woman.

Inhaling once, she nods once and fires, the arrow going smoothly past the woman who turns to see where it came from, Byleth and her making eye contact with each other. 

Yet it’s short, for the woman hears a scream and turns around to see that the arrow Byleth had fired had hit its target, the assassin falling dead a couple of feet away from her. 

Taking another arrow out, Byleth fires and again hits her target, this time a mage woman falling to the ground. 

“Get the woman with the bow!” an assassin screams and Byleth puts her bow and arrows away, knowing she had been made and that her best option was to fight them head on. Taking her sword out, she jumps out of the bushes and runs straight towards the assassin closest to her, calmly and precisely slashing him. 

Looking up, she notices that a lancer was heading her way, his weapon giving him enough reach to make her jump back and use her magic; a fire spell being released quick enough for him to be hit by it, making him scream in agony. 

Turning back to where the noble woman was, Byleth sees that she has done a really good job at defending herself, the amount of bodies surrounding her showing her abilities. 

Focusing back on the assassins getting closer to her, Byleth notices an axe on the ground and grabs it, determining that she wanted to get as close as she could to the Dark Bishop and the noble woman to make the assassins have to attack them there, hoping that would end the battle faster. 

Running forward, she moves the axe back and mercilessly hits the assassins in front of her, their bodies falling to the ground behind her. 

Once she makes her way to the dark bishop and the woman, she notices that there are only a small amount of assassins left. 

Throwing the axe and taking her bow out, she sees one trying to run away, hoping to escape from the massacre. 

Concentrating, Byleth grabs one arrow and prepares her stance, putting some extra strength into her drawing to compensate for the distance the arrow would have to cover. Letting go, they all watch the arrow reach its target who falls and chokes to death. 

After that, the noises of battle and death stop, the once active battlefield having become a graveyard filled with bodies from both sides. 

A sight that Byleth had gotten too used to but still didn’t like to see. 

Closing her eyes, she takes a deep breath to center herself, all the tension her body had because of the battle dissipating the more breaths she takes. 

Yet that didn’t mean she wasn’t prepared for when the Dark Bishop appeared in front of her with a ball of dark magic pointed straight at her. 

Moving away, she raises her own hand and a fire-ball appears on hers. 

“Enough.” the woman says firmly and while Byleth thinks the command is for her, she can see that she’s addressing the Dark Bishop. 

“But…” 

“She could have killed me plenty of times and yet she chose to help us. Before you point a dark spell at her, I would like to find out who she is and why she intervened.” she then stares at Byleth, which makes the mercenary gulp. 

This woman was used to getting what she wanted when she wanted it. 

“First of all, thank you for intervening when you did. While I believe Hubert and I would have been able to stop the assassins, your assistance was primordial to lessening our losses. For that I thank you.” 

Byleth only nods, knowing the woman wasn’t done with what she wanted to say. 

“I also couldn’t help but notice how talented you are.” she continues while giving Byleth an appreciative look. “Proficient with a bow, a sword, an axe and can use magic.” she stops in front of the mercenary who can’t stop herself from gulping at the sudden closeness of the woman. “Just who are you?” 

This makes Byleth stare at the woman and think of what she should say. Usually she lies when it comes to her identity and refuses to divulge too much information about herself and what she does for a living. But this time, there was something that made Byleth want to be honest 

That and the fact that she knew they would surely attack her if she lied to them. 

“My name is Byleth Eisner.” she says calmly. “And I’m a mercenary. I was coming back from the forest and heard your caravan crossing. Choosing to wait until it went by, I happened to see the assassins ambush you. And to be quite honest…” she makes sure she’s staring at the woman for this part. “I’m not sure why I chose to intervene. I usually don’t.” 

The woman hums. 

“Surely you don’t believe this.” the man named Hubert says. “How convenient that she happened to be here the moment we were attacked. Also how did you know they were no mere bandits?” 

“It wasn’t convenient.” she answers him. “Everyone knows that this route is frequented by bandits and mercenaries. That’s why most of the time it’s empty. Only foolish nobles who have been tricked return to Enbarr using this route.” 

She was sure the man would know what she was implying with that statement. 

“You... “ Hubert raises his hand and is again stopped by the noble woman who is watching her amusedly. 

Wait, she was amused by this?

“And I knew they were not bandits because they were too organized and precise. They were trained.” 

“I agree.” the woman responds with a smile. “You are correct in assuming that these were no mere bandits. And like you said, we may have underestimated our enemies’ desperation by assuming they wouldn’t try to do anything on this route.” she chuckles. 

This makes Byleth stare carefully at her and the tone she had used to state this. 

The woman had suspected this would happen. 

“You thought this could happen.” Byleth says and this makes the woman look curiously at her again. “True, you didn’t plan for it, but you suspected it could happen. And yet you chose to use this route.” 

“This is the fastest route back to the capital.” she states. “The risk was unavoidable.” 

“You mean you knowingly put these soldiers at risk.” Byleth says nonchalantly and this earns her another angry look from Hubert. 

“The nerve of her to speak to you like this.” Hubert says and another dark spell starts forming in his hand. 

A gesture that the woman dissuades with the raise of her own hand, instead choosing to get even closer to Byleth. 

“Do you think there was a better way for me to return to the capital?” she asks her and this makes the mercenary stare curiously at her. 

Byleth thinks of her answer, considering where the nobles could have come from and all the possible routes one could take back to Enbarr. 

“The forest.” Byleth says. “It begins near the start of the route and doesn't end until the nearest town. Sure, you would have needed to take fewer soldiers, but that would have also meant you could move faster and more efficiently. You would have made yourself harder to find.” she shrugs. “I could hear your caravan five minutes before you arrived.” 

This makes the woman smile again and give Hubert a knowing look. 

“Perhaps the mercenary is correct in her assessment of our course of action.” he admits begrudgingly. “Yet that doesn’t eliminate the fact that she’s extremely disrespectful and rude.” 

“What do you mean by that?” Byleth asks, confused. “I’m not being rude or anything.” 

This statement, for some reason, makes the woman in front of her laugh loudly, the sound of her laughter making Byleth’s frozen heart feel something. 

_ How is that even possible? _

“I swear I will…” 

“Enough Hubert.” she tells the man firmly and this makes him bow immediately. 

“Yes Your Majesty.” he responds and this makes Byleth realize what he meant. 

“I thought you had recognized who I was and hence chose to aid us because of that.” the woman says happily. “What a surprise to see that wasn’t the case.” she smirks. “My name is Edelgard Von Hresvelg, Emperor of Adrestia. And you, Byleth Eisner, have intrigued me. Enough to ask you to join me.” 

Shit, Byleth thinks the moment the woman is done introducing herself. Of course her luck will have her saving the Emperor of Adrestia. 

She had just talked to the Emperor of Adrestia as if she was a regular person. 

“Your Majesty.” she apologizes and bows once before standing up. “I’m not sure I understand what you mean.” 

“What I mean...” she smiles knowingly at her. “Is that after seeing you in action, I want to hire you as my personal guard, Byleth Eisner.” 

Yeah, she was definitely screwed. 

* * *

Walking towards his room, the last thing Claude wanted was to listen to the complaints of entitled and foolish nobles. Although he was a noble himself, he got infuriated at the way some of the older house nobles did business. 

He had given the order that no one from the Leicester Alliance was allowed to negotiate any sort of terms or alliances with the Adrestian Empire nor the Kingdom of Faerghus. 

Yet that had been the first thing Hilda reported to him. 

That some of the nobles had met with both Edelgard and Dimitri near the borderlands. 

Arriving at his room, he lets Hilda come in before closing the door behind him, going towards his desk to pour both a drink. 

“A drink?” he asks as he offers the glass to Hilda, who nods and takes it. 

“This is good.” she nods and takes another sip. “And just what I needed.” 

“I know what you mean.” he smiles at her and sits down. “All of these talks are just so tiring.” he groans. “I’ve had enough of old men complaining and crying to me about things I can’t control.” 

Hilda chuckles. 

“Not what you had expected you would be doing years ago, right?” 

Claude moves his head from side to side. 

“Believe me, the last thing I had expected was for me to lead the Leicester Alliance and stop us from getting involved in another war.” he drinks from his glass. “Wars…” he muses to himself. “We just can’t stop taking part in them, can’t we?” 

Hilda remains silent, knowing this was Claude letting go of his worries and disappointment. 

“Now then....” he says darkly. “Tell me why some of the nobles have chosen to ignore my orders and are talking with Edelgard and Dimitri.” 

“I’m not certain how the meetings were set-up.” Hilda admits. “But it isn’t hard to believe that some of the nobles had ties to the Empire or Kingdom, hence their families asking to make an introduction. After that, since we do share borders with both the Empire and Faerghus, it wasn’t difficult for them to meet.” 

Claude groans, gulping his drink in one swig. 

“And they finished their talks today, correct?” 

Hilda nods. 

“Is it that difficult for them to understand that we are doing all we can to not get involved in the war? Instead, the first thing they do is get themselves involved. We are supposed to be busy fighting each other!” 

“We knew it would be difficult to control the nobles that opposed Duke Oswald and him naming you his successor.” Hilda merely states. 

She was right. The reason Claude wasn’t well liked was because of his sudden rise to power within the alliance and his tendency to make others think he was careless and easygoing. 

Yet all the members of the Golden Deer knew that thinking such things were a mistake and that Claude was a cunning strategist that had proved his worth when he prevented the Alliance from blindly entering the war two years ago.

“Did any of them reach an agreement with either Edelgard or Dimitri?” he murmurs. 

“None that my spies would inform me. But they did tell me that the only things Edelgard asked for was permission to build a base for her troops and for the Empire to have access to Alliance territory without any kind of retaliation.” 

“Meaning that she wants to have soldiers close to Faerghus if she needs to launch an attack on Fhirdiad. She could attack from two fronts if we allow her troops to enter Alliance territory.” Claude mutters. “What about Dimitri?” 

“He directly asked for support.” Hilda tells him. “He offered the nobles an equal division of the Empire territory once the war was won and that the conflict would be resolved in four months.” 

“Four months!” Claude exclaims. “None of our reports have shown any way the war could be won that quickly, correct?” 

Hilda nods. 

“Then Dimitri is either lying to get a bigger army to attempt to force his way into Enbarr or he has found a way to break the Empire’s defenses and claim the capital.” he thinks. “Hearing this changes things.” 

“What would you like me to do then?” Hilda asks him. 

“For now keep spying on the nobles that have been in talks with Edelgard and Dimitri with a focus on Dimitri. I want to know how he plans to conquer the Empire’s capital in 4 months.” he says darkly. “And any updates you have report them to me right away.”

“Understood.” Hilda promises and leaves Claude alone. 

“You can come out now.” he groans and stands up to get one more drink. 

“If you keep drinking so much you won’t be living for very long.” a familiar voice teases him and this makes him chuckle. 

“Are you worried about my health, Lysithea?” 

The woman smirks at him. 

“You wish.” she takes a seat and watches him try to pour her a drink. “None for me, thank you.” 

Nodding, the noble man returns to his own seat, arranging his thoughts and putting in place a plan that would prevent them from going into war for a little longer.

He needed to prepare first. 

“I think I should start with asking you if you heard everything that Hilda and I just discussed?” 

Lysithea nods. 

“You did ask me to wait for you to arrive and not make my presence known.” she reminds him. 

“Well, no one apart from me knows that you’re the Empire’s spy.” he smiles.

“A position that you told me to have when I asked you if I could transfer from the Golden Deer to the Black Eagles.” Lysithea murmurs. 

“A transfer that you never explained to me.” Claude reminds her. “The only thing you said was that your ideals aligned themselves more with the ones of Edelgard and her group.” 

“And that is the truth.” 

“But not the whole truth.” he raises his hands. “Besides, when Edelgard, you and I met to talk about it, we both agreed it would be good to have a safe and trustworthy way to communicate with one another.” 

“By making me your courier.” Lysithea groans. 

“My apologies.” he chuckles. “Yet with the news Hilda just shared with me, I think your role will dramatically change.” 

This makes the white-haired woman stare seriously at him. 

“I want you to go to Enbarr and tell Edelgard what you just heard.” Claude tells her seriously. “She will know that my hands are tied at the moment and that I can’t go and choose a side without me revealing my spies.” 

“So what’s the point of us telling her what will happen if we can’t exactly go ahead and do something?” she asks annoyed. 

This was what she always disliked about Claude: His way of going in circles to avoid direct conflict if possible. 

It worked for him, and for the Alliance, until now. But soon enough he would need to take a stance and choose a side. 

He was just avoiding the inevitable. 

“We aren’t ready yet.” he reads her mind. “I don’t have the necessary support to move my forces against the Empire or the Church and Faerghus. I need time.” 

“You’ve had time.” Lysithea tells him. “You just didn’t want to make a decision.” 

“True as well. And I’m still not sure of which one I will take.” he is honest with her. “There are things I still need to learn to determine which side I can trust.” 

Lysithea nods, knowing that what the man was saying made sense. 

Perhaps it was time for Edelgard to share the truth with someone who wasn’t part of the Black Eagles. To start bringing to light all the crimes and atrocities the Church of Seiros and others had done in the name of crests and power. 

“I’ll be waiting for your return with Edelgard’s response.” 

_ He is leaving it up to Edelgard to choose to meet with him or give a neutral response back,  _ Lysithea thinks. 

“I will deliver your message.” she promises him. 

Now she had to quickly plan and prepare for a trip to Enbarr. 


	2. Arriving to Enbarr

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After accepting Emperor Edelgard's offer to become her personal guard, Byleth joins the noble woman on her carriage. 
> 
> What follows is a conversation about Byleth's loyalties and her future responsibilities at Enbarr.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm updating because my progress on writing the story is going really well :)
> 
> Honestly, I know I said once a week but it depends on my progress to be honest. 
> 
> So, if you're following the story and want to know when I update next or you want to talk about FE3H in general, follow or write to me on my Tumblr account! @geekwithacuriousmind
> 
> Without further ado, the new chapter :)

Noticing the detailed and lavish finishes around her, Byleth can’t remember the last time she felt so out-of-place. Her job as a mercenary meant that most of the time she stayed in places that were not the greatest. But to Byleth, as long as the place had a warm bed, it was enough for her. 

So to now be in this extravagant carriage, with the Emperor of Adrestia herself, the mercenary didn’t know how to act or what to even say. 

When Edelgard offered her a job as her personal guard, Byleth wasn’t sure if it was a joke or an actual offer. In fact, it had taken her to see the shock and disbelief on Hubert’s eyes to realize that the Emperor was not joking. 

That she wanted Byleth. 

And Byleth, yet again confused by her sudden decisions, nodded in confirmation, her choice making Edelgard smile brightly at her. 

Hence she was now sitting on the royal carriage with Her Majesty to make their way back to Enbarr, capital of the Empire. While usually she would have focused on the scenic route of the journey, her current circumstances made her unable to do so. 

Edelgard, who had invited her to travel back with her, had not stopped staring at her since she got on the carriage. And the way the white-haired woman was looking at her, it was as if she was trying to uncover her deepest secrets. To go deeper than anyone had ever gone before. 

It should have scared Byleth, the intensity with which the Emperor was staring at her. But she was not called the Ashen Demon for anything. So instead of flinching or looking down, Byleth stared right back at her, wanting to understand the powerful warrior in front of her. 

A gesture that seemed to be the right one by the way Edelgard nodded and moved backwards, fully relaxing her hands. 

“I’m glad you accepted my offer, Byleth.” the Emperor breaks the silence. “The Empire needs talented individuals like yourself.” 

Byleth nods, not knowing that to say. 

“In fact, I’m surprised you’re a mercenary. With your skill, I would expect you to form part of the army or another prestigious position.” 

“I never cared for those things.” Byleth tells her simply. “I fight for myself, your Majesty.” 

“Some would say that’s a selfish position to take. Isn’t it that one should put their kingdom, their home and family first?” she asks her. 

“I have none of those things. I don’t know where I was born and my last living relative died years ago, your Majesty.” the blue-haired woman explains to her. 

Edelgard stares at her, scrutiny on her eyes at the story Byleth is telling her. 

Yet for whatever reason, either because she believed her or didn’t want to pry, she nodded and let it go. 

“That’s why I didn’t recognize you when I first saw you. I don’t stay in places for long, and although I’m up to date with the war efforts, I don’t know what the main players look like.”

“Can’t say I blame you.” Edelgard murmurs. “Even I at points tire of all the different people who are taking part in this war.” 

This makes Byleth stare curiously at her. 

Everyone knew how the story went. How it had been Emperor Edelgard that had started the war when she raised her army and fought against the Knights of Seiros at Garreg Mach. That, Byleth had thought when she first heard the story, was not a coincidence at all. 

Yet the moment the Empire rebelled, the other kingdoms had to choose their sides, with Faerghus supporting the Church of Seiros and the nobles of the Leicester Alliance pretending they were fighting each other to not choose a side. 

That had started two years ago and to the day, no one could know who would win the war. Both sides were evenly matched, with both Emperor Edelgard and King Dimitri fighting near the borders to take and then recover stolen territory. 

Neither one truly advancing or moving backwards. 

Both at a stalemate. 

“Does that mean you wish you didn’t declare war against the Church of Seiros?” Byleth asks her carefully and this makes Edelgard raise her eyes and stare at her. 

“That’s the one thing I don’t regret.” she says carefully. “And although you are on Empire territory that doesn’t mean your alliance is with the Empire, right Byleth?"

True, she herself had said she didn’t know where she was born and hence wasn’t loyal to any kingdom. 

“Then if you know that already..." Byleth has to ask. “Why did you offer me such an important job? Like you said, you don’t know where my loyalties lie.” 

“I don’t think your loyalties lie with anyone but yourself.” the Emperor tells her and this makes Byleth stare at her in complete awe. “Your survival is the most important thing to you. The rest is secondary. And in my position as Emperor, in exchange for your services I can offer you a comfortable place to stay, new clothes, a warm bed and good food.” 

“All the things needed for survival.” Byleth chuckles. “What would you have done if I had said no? Would you have killed me?” 

Edelgard laughs. 

“I would have asked you again.” she tells her with a cheeky smile. 

“That’s not an answer. Did I even have a choice?” Byleth murmurs and sees how her words have affected the Emperor. 

“I will never take away your choice.” Edelgard says firmly and this makes the mercenary stare deeply at her. 

“You still haven’t told me why me, Your Majesty.” she pushes once more hoping she would get a response.

Edelgard thinks of her answer for a couple of seconds. 

“Something about you made me want to offer you the job. I know it’s not very specific, but didn’t you say that something about me made you accept?” 

Byleth can’t deny this because it’s true. 

“But I’m a mercenary.” 

“And why would that matter?” Edelgard asks her curiously. “Mercenaries have honor. If you accepted the job then I’m confident you will do your best to protect me.” 

This statement makes Byleth stare at the Emperor again. 

This woman was such an enigma. Treating regular people normally and not assuming the worst of someone because of their profession or their place of birth. 

Byleth was intrigued. 

And nothing intrigued her. 

“Can I ask you something else, Your Majesty?” 

Edelgard nods. 

“Why were you out of the capital? As Emperor, just leaving the castle is dangerous enough for you.” 

“I needed to meet with some nobles that were on the fence regarding supporting my cause.” Edelgard tells her. “And while we were expecting to be ambushed at some point, we didn’t expect it to be at that part of the route.” 

“You’re planning to make King Dimitri fall back to Kingdom territory.” Byleth says and this makes Edelgard stare curiously at her. “That’s why you were at the border. You were meeting with the Alliance nobles to confirm their support so they would let you use their lands as Empire camps.” 

“But the Alliance is in the middle of a civil war.” the Emperor chuckles. 

“Everyone knows they’re pretending to fight so that they don’t have to get involved.” 

“Claude always preferred to stay out of conflict.” Edelgard muses. “You are very well versed in war tactics and strategy.” the Emperor compliments her. “Like you said, I wish to force King Dimitri to fall back. He is putting pressure on our borders and we need those areas to continue building weapons and produce food. The meeting with the Alliance nobles was to make sure they would let me place my troops there to launch a counterattack once my main army initiated combat.” 

“Yet someone spilled about your meeting.” Byleth tells her confidently. “Because those assassins knew the exact route you were going to use to return to Enbarr.” 

“Indeed.” Edelgard agrees with her. “It seems I have a mole within my midst.”

“You don’t seem very worried about it.” 

“Plenty have tried to assassinate me since before I took the crown and became Emperor. None get very close thanks to Hubert, but lately, there have been many that have gotten uncomfortably closer. And Hubert can only do so much.” 

“Wouldn’t that be the more reason for you to hire someone you know is already loyal to you to protect you? Giving me the job doesn’t make any sense.” Byleth says bluntly. 

This makes Edelgard look curiously at her. 

“You’re very direct. Most people are terrified to even look at me. That honesty, it’s something I appreciate. And you have the skill needed to protect me. Besides, just because you think someone is loyal to you or your cause, that doesn’t mean they truly are.” she whispers darkly and Byleth understands right away that there’s something more to that statement. 

Edelgard had already been betrayed once by someone she trusted. 

Yet she knew it would be better to not ask because she was already being too pushy. Byleth knew from personal experience how taxing it could be to talk about touchy topics. The last thing she wanted to do was make the Emperor uncomfortable.

Hence, she chose to remain silent. 

“When I see talented individuals…” Edelgard adds suddenly. “I can’t help but want them. The moment I saw you fight, that desire grew even more.” 

Hearing the Emperor be so candid and honest with her makes Byleth blush.

“To me, the effort an individual puts is more important than all the titles and crests they have. If you have the talent, the dedication and the determination to improve yourself, you should be able to have the same opportunities as anyone else. That’s what I want for Fodlan: A system of merit where it will not matter if you’re a commoner or a noble. Whether you’re from the Empire, Brigid, The Alliance or any other place. The only thing that will matter is your talent, your ability to succeed and how hard you work to make that happen.” Edelgard argues passionately. “Those are the things I fight for.” 

Staring wide-eyed at the Emperor, Byleth believes every word the woman has said. 

Unlike others, who said the same and did the opposite, Edelgard really meant these things. 

She really wanted to change the class system of Fodlan. To eliminate the idea of crests as symbols of power and prestige. 

But why did she want to do that? Why did she want to destroy a system that clearly favored her? And would she actually do these things if she won the war? 

There was more to Edelgard than what meets the eye. That Byleth had clear. 

And that was enough to make her stay. 

At least for now. 

* * *

“We have arrived, Your Majesty.” they both hear Hubert say the moment he opens the carriage door and Byleth watches Edelgard calmly take his hand to get down. 

Following them from a safe distance, Byleth stares curiously at her surroundings, this being her first time standing so close to the Imperial Palace. The place, which was heavily guarded, was just as elegant and as flamboyant as the carriage she had been in. 

While this wasn’t the first castle she had seen, Garreg Mach was not taken care of as well as the Imperial Palace. From the beautiful decorations surrounding all the different rooms and hallways; to the silent and many servants that moved around the palace, this was a far cry from the humble life Byleth had. 

In fact, she knew her wardrobe and possessions made her stand out like a sore thumb, with many of the staff and soldiers giving her meaningful looks. Yet that didn’t matter to her. Byleth was used to people staring at her either with incredulous or terrified eyes. The fact that this time it was a different kind of gaze made her chuckle softly, the gesture not missed by Edelgard and Hubert who continued their way forward with the man murmuring about her lack of decorum and manners. 

After a couple of minutes of aimlessly following the two nobles, Byleth is told to enter a decent sized room that had a beautiful marble desk with many objects and papers lying around. Behind the desk there was a small throne and the shield of the Empire. 

This had to be Edelgard’s studio. 

“My Majesty, I know you’ve already made your decision.” Hubert starts saying the moment the door to the studio is closed. “But yet again I ask you to reconsider.” 

“There’s nothing to reconsider, Hubert. Byleth will become my protector and she will be given all the tools she deems necessary to do her job.” she tells the noble and then looks at Byleth. “Have you thought about what you may need?” 

Byleth nods. 

“Then write a list for Hubert and he will make sure you get all you need.” she groans and takes a seat. “Now, regarding the ambush… Byleth suspected that a mole was the one that gave our route to the assassins. I agree with her.” 

Hubert gives the mercenary a bitter look. 

“Are you sure we should discuss this with the present company?” 

“If Byleth is to act as my protector, then she has to know everything about our talks and plans. That way she will be able to plan and be ready for any unpleasant surprises.” Edelgard tells him. “Besides, what’s the point of me having a protector if said protector is not next to me.” 

Hubert wants to respond to what Edelgard said but knows it’s better if he doesn’t. It seemed like Her Majesty had already made up her mind and there was nothing that could be done about it. 

As much as he didn’t like the decision she made, he would always support her and protect her. 

That was his sole purpose in life. 

“Understood, Your Majesty. I will accept your decision and do my best to make sure she performs all her duties and responsibilities. And if I discover that she’s a spy and she’s here to hurt you…” he looks at Byleth. “I will kill her.” he then turns back to look at Edelgard as if he hadn’t just threatened to kill her. “But going back to your theory of a mole amidst us… It’s no coincidence that the assassins were waiting at that precise location for us. They knew we would go through there so it was either someone from Enbarr or it was one of the nobles we spoke to who gave away our route.” 

“Both could be possible. I expect Dimitri to also be having talks with the nobles from Leicester to close their borders for us.” Edelgard murmurs. “Regardless, we don’t have much evidence to go from. That doesn’t mean we won’t start looking.” she gives Hubert a knowing look. 

“I’ll do the necessary preparations.” he promises her. 

“Now then, back to Byleth and her new position.” the Emperor smiles. “Although your main responsibility is to protect me, you’ve shown quite the skill in weapons and magic.” she muses. “Skills that are always necessary to practice and keep up to date.” 

Byleth stares confused at her, not knowing where the Emperor was going with this. 

“During my first year of schooling at Garreg Mach, because of my position as princess, I was made the house leader of the Black Eagles, a group of nobles and commoners that come from the Empire. And although I didn’t get to stay very long at Garreg Mach, my classmates and I became close enough for them to follow me when I declared war against the Church.” 

“Those are very loyal friends.” Byleth tells her honestly because she knows how hard it is to rise against the church. 

“Indeed. All of us, including myself and Hubert, now form part of the Black Eagle Strike Force, an elite unit of fighters that solely reports to me and is responsible for leading the army to many of our victories. Because we’re the best of the best, it is hard for us to find challenging individuals that can help us improve and keep up with our training.” the Emperor smiles. 

“And you think I’ll be able to do it.” Byleth surmises. 

“Your style is quite unique. All of us were classically trained and I know learning from you will only make us better on the battlefield. All so that all make it back home at the end of the day. They chose to walk this path with me. I will do my utmost best to keep them safe." Edelgard tells her passionately.

“I understand.” she really does. “And I will do it.” 

“Great.” she smiles softly at her. “Apart from that, only the Black Eagle Strike Force will know your true mission. The rest will be led to believe that you’re the newest instructor of the Strike Force, recruited by Hubert and I on our latest mission.” 

That made sense. It would be foolish for Edelgard to show that she had a protector if she wanted the mole to mess up and be caught. 

“And, because you’re our instructor, no one would question your presence around me most of the time.” 

“That would make sense, with her having to report the progress of the Strike Force directly to you.” Hubert muses. 

“True, that does sound right.” Byleth adds. “There is only one problem though.” 

This gets her the attention of both Edelgard and Hubert. 

“How will you explain that we are sleeping in the same room?” 


	3. The Black Eagle Strike Force’s New Instructor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following Byleth's arrival to the Adrestian Castle, the mercenary is introduced to the Black Eagle Strike Force; Emperor Edelgard's elite force of warriors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the kudos everyone! Means a lot to see you liking the story :) 
> 
> Next chapter will be up Wednesday :)

Calmly walking around the courtyard, Byleth is yet again surprised at how vast the Imperial Castle is. While that wasn’t very good news when it came to securing Edelgard’s safety, with there being many hidden spots where people could meet and discuss things without being seen; it also meant that anyone who dared to try anything would have a harder time trying to find Her Majesty. 

Hence, if any true attempt were to be taken it would probably be at night when it would be certain that Edelgard was inside the castle. Which was a possible scenario that Byleth had already suspected could happen especially with the way there were soldiers at almost every space surrounding the castle. Yet if the mole turned out to be from within the Empire, then they would know that the best opportunity to attack would be at night when soldiers were more relaxed and distracted. 

Meaning that until the mole was captured, the only way to make sure Edelgard would be safe at night was for Byleth to sleep in the same room as her. 

A proposal that had not been, not surprisingly, taken very well. 

_ Flashback to Earlier That Day _

“How will you explain that we are sleeping in the same room?” Byleth asks and the moment she does she can see how this statement makes Edelgard blush brightly. 

Hubert was ready to kill her right there and then. 

“The audacity of her to make such a statement!” he is fuming and only because of his promise to Edelgard he’s not throwing dark magic at the mercenary. 

Edelgard, meanwhile, is still blushing. 

“How am I supposed to protect the Emperor at all times if I’m not in her room when she’s asleep?” Byleth asks nonchalantly. 

Really, the answer was obvious. She had to sleep in Edelgard’s room if she wanted to make sure she would be there to protect her. 

“At all times doesn’t necessarily mean all the time.” Edelgard murmurs. “Besides, there’s an adjacent room to my own that you can use. And, there are guards outside my room and in the perimeter of the area at all times.” 

“Not the same.” Byleth argues. “An assassin could make their way inside and I would be too far away to protect you. And before you say that no one would dare try to kill you inside the palace, remember that we don’t know if the mole is from the Empire or from Leicester.” she is firm in her resolve and can see her reasoning is winning over the dark bishop. 

“I hate to say that she’s right, My Majesty.” Hubert relents. “If the mole is from the Empire then that means they have a position of power within our troops since only a select group of Adrestian higher-ups knew about our meeting with the Alliance nobles.” 

“I know Hubert.” Edelgard groans. “And I can see your point of you sleeping in the same room, Byleth.” she murmurs. “I just… It’s just embarrassing to even consider it.” 

“Nothing embarrassing about keeping you safe.” Byleth says to Hubert’s amusement. 

“You are really making things difficult for me, Byleth.” Edelgard murmurs. 

“You hired me to do a job and I intend on keeping my word.” she vows. “But I can also see how my first proposal made you uncomfortable. So how about this instead; you will give me the room next to yours and we’ll build a door that connects both rooms. That way, we can enter our rooms separately and I can move to yours after I’m sure you’ve fallen asleep and leave before you wake up.” Byleth proposes. “You won’t even know I was there.” 

“But that’s not the only reason why I would be uncomfortable.” the Emperor whispers and only because Byleth was used to hunting was she able to hear what the woman said.

“That is plausible.” Hubert muses, not having heard Edelgard. “And we could get Caspar and Petra to help with the construction of this door. That way, only members of the Strike Force will be involved. Regarding the cleaning staff, I’m confident Flowa will not mention the sudden appearance of this door to anyone.” 

“Do I have to remind both of you that there’s no need for Byleth to sleep in my room? We have guards for a reason.” Edelgard says firm. 

Byleth stares at her, trying to understand why it was that the Emperor was so against the idea of being in the same room as her. True, they had just met and they couldn’t truly know her intentions; but if she was hired to protect Her Majesty, then surely they knew that included keeping watch on her at night, right? 

“Then let’s test it.” Byleth proposes to the surprise of Edelgard and Hubert. “Tonight, I will try to break into Her Majesty’s room. If I manage to do so, then you have to agree that you need the extra security.” she states. “If I don’t, then I’ll sleep in the adjacent room, we’ll still build the adjacent door but I will not use it unless it’s an emergency.” 

“Are you really trying to give orders to Her Majesty?” Hubert is angry. “I don’t think you realize how prestigious and fortunate you are to even be able to address Her Majesty, mercenary.” he states darkly. 

“Enough Hubert.” Edelgard stops him before he keeps drilling Byleth. “Alright.” she says to Byleth. “You can go ahead and attempt to break in tonight.” 

“What?” Hubert is shocked yet again. 

“I said I would let Byleth try.” she stares at him firmly. “Which shouldn’t be much trouble, right?” 

Hubert bows and nods respectfully. 

“Good. Then with all that said, could you please make sure Byleth has all she needs for her job?” Edelgard asks him. 

“Understood.” he says and focuses on Byleth. “Now then, if you’ll follow me so we can make sure you have everything you need.” 

Byleth nods and is ready to step out of the studio before they’re stopped by Edelgard. 

“Also, don’t forget to bring her to the courtyard where she’ll meet the Black Eagle Strike Force.” she orders Hubert who nods once more. “We were supposed to meet later anyways so it will be a good opportunity to introduce Byleth to them.” 

_ End of Flashback _

Following Edelgard’s orders, Hubert had taken her to the courtyard after he got from her the list of materials she would need to start her job. And, with a warning of not bringing any unwanted attention to herself, he left her to her own devices. 

Hence she used the free time to go exploring around the castle and the subjacent gardens.

And she had not been happy with what she found. 

There were many areas that could be easily used to infiltrate the castle. Not only that, but in parts where she would expect guards to be on the lookout, they were instead chatting and messing around with each other; clearly overestimating the safety of the walls that separated the castle from the city. 

Knowing that she would have to fix those things once it became official that she was the new instructor of the Black Eagle Strike Force, Byleth chose to go back to where Hubert had told her they all trained. 

Entering the small arsenal, she sees that there are all types of weapons available for her to use, all looking well maintained and of the finest quality. Grabbing a sword and spinning it around, she can’t help but balance it out, noticing that although it was very well done, the balance was a little incorrect, too close to the tip. It wouldn’t hindrance anyone in a fight but she had always been picky about her weapons and something like this would immediately make her change it. 

“Well hello there.” she hears someone say behind her and she turns around to see a brunette woman with green eyes smiling at her. “Not to be rude or anything, but you’re trespassing.” she says cheekily.

“Am I?” Byleth responds nonchalantly. “There wasn’t a sign or anything that said that this area was out-of-bounds.” 

This makes the woman stare curiously at her. 

“Interesting.” she muses. “Usually a response like that would get me curious enough to ask questions but today I can’t. So instead I’m going to have to ask you to leave.” 

“I’m afraid I can’t do that.” the mercenary responds. “I was actually ordered to come here.” 

Staring at the brunette, Byleth can see the woman’s hand extending, most probably preparing her magic in case she may need it.

_ So she’s a magician…  _ Byleth muses but then better notices the clothes she was wearing. 

_ Make that a Mortal Savant.  _

Before either of them can react, they both hear more voices coming from outside the arsenal. 

“Where could she be?” Byleth can make out Hubert’s annoyed voice. “I left her here to look around and wait for everyone to arrive and of course when everyone gets here she’s gone.” 

“Relax Hubert.” Edelgard tells him. “I’m sure she’s close-by.” 

“Just who are you talking about? What is going on?” the voices keep getting louder and Byleth coughs to get the woman’s attention. 

“I think they’re calling for me.” she says to the woman who gives her one hard look before relaxing her hand and letting her go through. 

The moment Byleth steps outside, she can see that there’s a big group surrounding her, with Edelgard and Hubert standing in the front. 

“There you are, Byleth. We were waiting for you.” Edelgard says and notices the brunette woman coming from behind Byleth. 

Choosing to ignore this, she turns her attention to the rest of the Black Eagle Strike Force. 

“As you all know, Hubert and I just returned from a trip to the Leicester border. What many don’t know, and I would wish to keep a secret, is that we were attacked on our way back by assassins.” 

This statement gets her surprised exclamations and worried glances from her friends. 

“Both Hubert and I made it alright without any injuries. Yet the ambush showed us that we have a mole. What we aren’t sure of yet is if this mole is from the Empire or from the Leicester Alliance.”

“I’m glad to see both Hubie and you safe, Edie.” the brunette woman tells her honestly. “And I certainly hope you’re investigating the identity of this mole.” 

“We are, Dorothea.” Edelgard promises them. “But we don’t have a lot of evidence gathered yet, so until then, we will just have to pretend that we haven’t made the connection between my ambush and the mole.” 

“That’s not enough Edelgard!” a man with long orange hair argues passionately. “In my honor, I ask you to let me investigate the identity of the mole! I promise you I will discover and foil their plans.” 

“She just told you that she wants to keep this a secret and you start yelling.” a man with green hair says bored. 

“Linhardt is right. You really suck at keeping secrets, Ferdinand.” a younger man wearing an armour chuckles. 

“Very funny, Caspar, especially coming from the man who awoke the palace because he got too excited from fighting.” a woman with purple hair jokes. 

“I’m just happy no one got hurt.” a shorter woman with purple bangs and a bow behind her back murmurs. “In fact, how about we all go back inside where we will be safe.” 

“No Bernadetta, we can’t go back in since we just got here.” Edelgard groans but Byleth can see that the Emperor is amused more than anything by this exchange. “And this wasn’t the reason why I asked you all to come here.” she nods towards Byleth who moves closer to Edelgard and Hubert. “Byleth aided us during our fight with the assassins. Her abilities and skills were so unique that I offered her a job as my personal protector.” 

“Your what?!” Ferdinand exclaims. 

“Oh my…” Dorothea smirks knowingly. “You certainly know how to choose them Edie: Mysterious and beautiful.” 

“Stop it Dorothea.” the Emperor mutters with a bright blush. 

“But she seems to be our age.” Caspar complains. “And not that strong to be honest with you. No offense.” he adds while staring at Byleth who just shrugs. 

“She looks powerful enough to me.” Bernadetta adds from the sidelines. 

Listening on the conversation, Byleth can feel a calculating and cold gaze coming from the sidelines, one that was intent to hunt, with her being the target. Turning at the right moment, Byleth grabs the knife that had been tossed her way and throws it back to the purple haired woman, who nods and then takes the knife as if nothing had happened. 

“Petra! Are you crazy! You could have hurt her!” Ferdinand scolds the woman. 

“Her eyes.” Petra tells them and this makes everyone stare at her. “They are not the eyes of a normal person. She is a hunter as well.” 

“Like Petra just found out, Byleth is talented and powerful, her skills unlike any I have ever seen. In our fight against the Church, we need all the powerful allies and tools we can get. Hence, apart from being my personal protector, Byleth will also train us.” Edelgard explains to them. 

“Just because she’s good with weapons that doesn’t mean she can teach all of us.” Linhardt yaws. 

For some strange reason, this statement bothered Byleth. 

She usually didn’t care about what others thought of her, less if they wished her company or not. But that this man was still refusing to accept her after everything Edelgard had said… 

It bothered her. Enough to ask the Emperor if she could approach the man and give an example of her abilities. 

Getting a nod from Edelgard, Byleth gets close to the green haired man, who stares at her but doesn’t move. Circling him once, the mercenary can confirm that the man is a Bishop and that his main function was healing. And, that although he knew more spells than healing ones… 

“You don’t like to fight.” she tells him simply. “That’s why you heal instead.”

This makes Lindhardt analyze her. 

“Anyone that realizes I’m a Bishop can infer that.” 

“The sight of blood frightens you. Causing people pain frightens you so you hide behind indifference and healing.” Byleth adds to the surprise of everyone, including Edelgard and Hubert. 

“How can you even know that?” Lindhardt whispers. 

“I don’t know.” she admits to them. “I can just feel it.” 

Stepping away from the man, she watches him move backwards so that she can no longer see him. 

He was scared of her. 

Returning to her place behind Edelgard, Byleth can sense that the Emperor was trying to understand what had just happened. But unlike Lindhardt, who was now scared of her, she could see that Edelgard was the opposite. 

She was fascinated. 

The Black Eagle Strike Force, however, was intimidated. 

“Now then.” Edelgard breaks the silence. “Will anyone else care to question my decision to appoint Byleth as our new professor?” 

No one says a word. 

“Good. Then I expect you all to report to training tomorrow morning.” she gets some groans in response. “I know…” she smiles. “I know it feels like we’ve been fighting for a long time, but believe me, things are just getting started. And the last thing I want is to lose any of you.” she admits softly and Byleth can see how this statement makes all of them nod and give the woman warm smiles. 

“We won’t let you down Edelgard!” Caspar promises her. 

“I know you won’t.” Edelgard smiles again and takes one deep breath. “Now then, it’s getting late and the last thing I want is to keep you.” 

“Will you be having dinner with us tonight?” Dorothea asks her. 

“I’m feeling too tired from the ambush earlier today so I will just ask for food to be brought to my room.” she says apologetically. 

“Are you sure you’re feeling good and do not need anything?” Petra gets closer to the Emperor who smiles at the gesture. 

“Just some sleep.” Edelgard promises them. 

“Then we’ll see you tomorrow morning Edelgard.” Ferdinand bows once and then tells everyone to follow him to the dining room. 

Watching the Black Eagle Strike Force leave, Byleth starts following Edelgard who is heading towards the castle, with Hubert staying behind with Caspar and Petra. 

“He is going to discuss building that door to connect our rooms.” Edelgard explains to the mercenary. “Also, just because I will be eating in my room that doesn’t mean you have to come with me. This could be an opportunity to get to know the Black Eagle Strike Force.”

“I don’t think having dinner with them tonight is a good idea.” Byleth responds and continues to walk behind Edelgard. 

“What do you mean?” the Emperor asks her. “Do you think they will be disrespectful because they’re nobles? I assure you that will not be an issue.” 

“I didn’t mean that.” the mercenary murmurs as they walk through the castle’s lobby. “I meant that they will be uncomfortable with me because of what they saw earlier.” 

This makes Edelgard stare at her, calculating her words. 

“You mean when you showed them you have the necessary skills to teach the Black Eagle Strike Force?” the Emperor asks her carefully while looking to the guards that were standing around them and the way they were focusing on their conversation. 

_ She wants them to hear about my promotion,  _ Byleth realizes what the Emperor was doing. By having this discussion in the open, she was hoping the staff and soldiers would gossip about Byleth. 

About her new position as the instructor of the Black Eagle Strike Force. 

Not a bad idea to see if this would make the mole, if the mole was in the Empire, react. 

Nodding in understanding, Byleth doesn’t say anything else and continues to follow Edelgard, taking the opportunity to see how the news of her new job was taken by the soldiers and staff.

Anger, jealousy and bitterness… 

Not one of them was exempt from these feelings, their judging gazes all on Byleth as the Emperor and her walked back to the royal chambers. 

_ Ironic that the discrimination does not come from the nobles but from the soldiers and staff,  _ she muses. 

Then again, it's to be expected. They saw her as one of them, which she was. So for her to be so close to the Emperor, in such an important position… 

Why couldn’t it be them and it had to be her? 

Ignoring the stares and choosing to focus on Edelgard instead, Byleth makes sure she memorizes all the rooms and the locations of the guards and staff, wanting to ask Hubert for a more detailed schedule as well as maps of the castle. 

Once the two of them arrived at the Emperor’s room, the two guards that were stationed outside bow in respect and proceed to open the door, not turning their heads as Edelgard and her make their way in. 

Expecting Her Majesty’s room to be just as ostentatious and grand as the main hallway and throne room; Byleth is surprised when it turns out to be the opposite. While it is big and it has a bed and chairs to entertain guests or perhaps even hold meetings in extreme privacy, there wasn’t much in terms of decorations. In fact, the room looked quite basic and bare. 

Perhaps not hiding her surprise very well, Byleth is caught staring by Edelgard who had taken a seat in one of the chairs and was now watching her amusedly. 

“Not what you were expecting?” she teases her a little. 

Byleth nods, a little embarrassed at having been called out. 

“Can I take a look around to get myself more familiar with the room?” she suddenly asks and knows her question has flustered the Emperor, who does her best to not blush. 

“Of course.” the noble woman responds and watches Byleth move from side to side, touching walls and looking over and under things. “Can I ask what it is you’re doing?” 

“I’m familiarizing myself with things in your room so that when I come in at night I don’t disturb you.” Byleth explains nonchalantly. “I also want to check if there are any hidden passages or ways to break in. There aren’t, by the way.” 

“Of course I know that. I sleep here.” Edelgard groans. “And I could have told you if you had asked.” 

“I’m also fascinated by the fact that you don’t have much in your room. Unlike the other castle areas, your bedroom is the one place that doesn’t scream wealthy or rich.” Byleth muses while still moving around the room. 

“Just because I’m the Emperor that does not mean my room will have ridiculous things in it.” the Emperor states amused. “Besides, what’s the point since only I will be seeing them?” 

This makes Byleth look up from beneath one of the tables. 

“I guess that makes sense.” the blue-haired woman agrees and gets up from the floor right before there’s a knock on the door. 

Preparing to take her sword out, she’s stopped by Edelgard who nods and orders for the guards to open the door. 

Lowering her weapon but still not putting it away, Byleth watches a maid with a cart of food come in, making sure of closing the door before fully stepping inside and bowing to Edelgard. 

“Good evening, Your Majesty.” the woman says politely with a smile on her face. 

“Good evening, Flowa.” Edelgard responds with a soft smile that surprises Byleth. 

Edelgard knew this person very well. 

“I’m glad to see you’ve returned safely from your trip.” Flowa continues talking while preparing the dishes. “And…” she then turns to give Byleth a knowing look. “With company.” 

“Byleth will be the new instructor of the Black Eagle Strike Force.” Edelgard explains to an amused Flowa who is now placing their plates on the table. 

“I know.” the maid chuckles. “In fact, the whole castle knows.” 

“Already?” the Emperor is surprised. “We just talked about it maybe half an hour ago?” 

“Word travels fast in the castle.” Flowa reminds her and turns to talk to Byleth. “My name is Flowa and I’m Her Majesty’s maid. I’ve been taking care of her since she was a child.” she smiles at this. “Pleasure to meet you, Professor…” 

“You can call me Byleth.” she says simply while asking for permission to sit down and getting a nod from Edelgard. “And it’s nice to meet you too.” 

“If there’s anything you need in terms of clothing, toiletries or things of the sort, don’t hesitate to ask me. I’m the Head Maid and I can make sure you get all that you need.” 

“Thank you.” 

“Flowa, about Byleth’s room.” Edelgard starts saying. “The Professor will be staying in the room next to mine.” 

“Will she?” Flowa asks. “If so, then I must go prepare the room. It hasn’t had any people staying in it for a while now.” 

This statement makes Edelgard look uncomfortable, which is noticed right away by both Byleth and Flowa, who apologizes and asks permission to go set Byleth’s room up, leaving the two women alone in an uncomfortable silence. 

Not knowing what to say to make Edelgard feel better, all Byleth can do is focus on her dish and start eating. The moment she puts the first bite in her mouth, she can’t help but moan, the taste quite delicious. 

Hearing a soft chuckle, she sees Edelgard eating as well, also closing her eyes at the taste of the meal. 

Feeling more relaxed, Byleth decides to continue eating, not wanting to waste such a good and delicious meal. Once she’s done, she puts her fork and knife down and stares at Edelgard, who was also done. 

“You won’t ask me what Flowa meant when she said no one had stayed in your room for a while?” Edelgard murmurs. 

“Not if you don’t want me to.” Byleth responds quickly. 

“You’re very kind.” the Emperor smiles sadly. “Though it’s no secret. Anyone that has worked in this castle long enough can tell you that room used to be my sister Ann’s.” she stares at Byleth. “Tell me Byleth, do you know why I became the Emperor even though I had ten brothers and sisters?” 

Byleth doesn’t answer, yet again not knowing if answering honestly was the right thing to do or if her silence would be seen as rudeness. 

“Every last one of them was crippled by disease or lost their mind or died.” Edelgard says somberly. “I was the only one left who could inherit the throne.” 

“How could something like that happen?” Byleth whispers and sees the way her question makes Edelgard tense. 

“I’m the only one that can carry the weight of the Adrestian Empire. The only one that can make sure that what happened to my family never happens again. ” Edelgard vows and Byleth can sense that the Emperor is not telling her everything. 

That her siblings' deaths were no mere accidents. 

“I…” Byleth starts saying but is interrupted by the Emperor. 

“I shared more than I intended to.” she smiles sadly. “What is it about you, Byleth, that makes me want to tell you my secrets?” she whispers brokenly and Byleth knows Edelgard needs privacy. 

“I’ll always listen.” the blue-haired woman says and is a little surprised that she means it. “But I can only imagine how exhausted you must be feeling.” she adds while standing up and taking both their plates so she can put them in the cart Flowa brought in earlier. “So I’ll go ahead and retire for the evening.” 

“Thank you, I am feeling very tired.” Edelgard accepts. “Do you still have the intent of attempting to break into my room?” 

Byleth nods. 

Edelgard can’t stop herself from laughing at this. 

“Of all the insane things I’ve heard, this one beats most of them. Only you can so nonchalantly say you will break-in the royal bedchamber.” 

This makes Byleth smile in return, feeling relieved that the sadness surrounding Edelgard dissipated. 

“I thought that earlier you were trying to act all brave and determined because of Hubert.” the Emperor smirks. “But to hear you still want to go through with it…” she smiles. “It will be funny to see Hubert stop the soldiers from killing you when they find you.” 

“That would entail for them to catch me.” Byleth winks at her. “Which will not happen.” 

“You sound very confident.” Edelgard stands up and gets closer to her. “You know, I am quite proud of my army and soldiers.” 

“Wanna have a bet then?” Byleth asks excitedly, for a moment forgetting that she’s talking to the Emperor. 

Getting ready to apologize, she stops herself when she sees the way Edelgard’s eyes lit up, her interest in accepting the bet quite obvious. 

“What could you offer me?” the white-haired woman asks. . 

Byleth thinks of her answer. 

“I’ll let you ask me any question you want and I have to answer it honestly.” 

“You mean you don’t already answer my questions honestly, Byleth?’” Edelgard teases her. 

“I always tell you the truth, Your Majesty. I just prefer to not focus on me when it comes to conversations.” 

“So if I win I can ask you about yourself?” Edelgard is more intrigued. 

Byleth nods. 

“Alright. What would happen if you win?” 

“I want to ask you for a new sword and armor.” the mercenary says right away. 

“You do know regardless I was planning on giving you one, right?” Edelgard groans. 

“True, but if I win I want to create my sword and armor myself. Decide the materials and such. Something unique to me.” 

“You are very strange, Byleth Eisner.” Edelgard murmurs and extends her hand. “But we have a deal.” 

“Deal!” Byleth squeezes her hand back with a bright smile. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates will take place on Sundays and Wednesdays :) 
> 
> If you want to chat don't hesitate to follow me on my Tumblr geekwithacuriousmind


	4. First Morning at the Castle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After her first night at the Imperial Castle, Byleth spends the next morning exploring the castle and its people.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the kudos and comments! It really means a lot to see you reading this story :) 
> 
> Next update on Sunday :)

_Here again…_ Byleth thinks while looking around her and seeing nothing but emptiness. 

The same old and disturbing dream that wouldn’t leave her alone. 

For a second, she was hoping she would see the girl with green hair again sleeping on that strange throne.

But like usual, her dreams are just empty and dark, with nothing but a soft green light pointing the way to go… 

A green light? 

Wait, did that mean? 

Running forward, Byleth can’t stop herself from smiling when she can see that familiar throne in the middle of the void. And not only was the throne there but so was the girl, who had yet again awoken from her slumber. 

“It is very rude to interrupt a moment of repose.” the girl scolds her with a yawn. “Though I wonder how it is you made it in here.” she yawns again. “Since you’ve already woken me up, get closer so I can take a look at you.” 

Not sure if she should just do what the girl was asking her, Byleth carefully steps forward, making sure of staying far enough just in case she had to run or fight. 

She knew this was a dream so it wasn’t like she could get hurt, right?

“Interesting. I’ve never seen the likes of you. Just what are you?” the girl asks her honestly and this confuses Byleth. 

Now that she’s closer, she can better make out how the green-haired girl looks. And, the first thing she can tell right away is that the person in front of her is not human. 

That or she has the biggest ears she has ever seen. 

“I’m human?” Byleth says/asks. 

“You mean you’re not sure?” 

“I am sure. I just... No one has ever asked me what I am. They’ve just assumed.” she murmurs as the words _demon_ and _monster_ resonate within her. 

This makes the girl think for a moment. 

“I see. If you’re human then you must have a name.” 

“I do. My name is Byleth.” 

This makes the girl chuckle. 

“Sorry, it’s just, human names just sound funny.” she apologizes. “What about your birthday?” 

Oh, that was the one thing Byleth did know about her birth. 

“Day 20 of the Horsebow Moon.” 

“That day is my birthday too! What a coincidence.” she yawns again and makes herself more comfortable on the throne. “You, this place, it all seems so familiar yet I can’t understand why. And I feel so sleepy again.” she closes her eyes. “I think I need to take another nap.” the girl whispers one last time and Byleth feels herself being yanked away from the etheral throne room. 

Opening her eyes, it takes Byleth a moment to remember where she is. The dream she just had had felt so real: It was almost as if she had actually been in that dark room with the girl. But that couldn’t be. Not with the way her back was all sore from the place she had slept in. 

Groaning, she tries to move her arms up to stretch only for one of them to be held down by something. 

Looking up, she sees that her hand is being held tight by Edelgard, who was deeply asleep. Blushing a little at the sight of the Emperor holding her hand, Byleth can’t help but softly smile at the woman who was sleeping so peacefully next to her. 

Yet that also made her remember what had led for her to wake up in this position. 

_Flashback to Last Night_

Silently making her way around the castle, Byleth doesn’t know how to feel. One small part of herself is proud of making it all the way to the wall that led to Edelgard’s room without being seen. 

The other part, the biggest part, was upset that she had been able to make it past the soldiers that were surrounding the castle. What was the point of having so many guards around the castle if they were incapable of doing their jobs and stopping her? 

Groaning as she climbed, the mercenary knew she would need to ask Hubert to introduce her to the general in charge of the guards shifts; her report hopefully would be enough to get them back in shape and focused. 

True, this would earn her a reputation with the guards, whom she suspected already disliked her for getting such an important position within the Empire. But she honestly didn’t care. She had a mission and she was going to do whatever it took to make sure she did her job well. 

Reputation be damned and all. 

Then again, she usually wasn’t this way. For some strange reason, she felt a small sense of duty towards Edelgard, whom she had just met earlier that day. It baffled her how she was now reacting when it came to matters that pertained to the Emperor’s safety and her feelings. 

Byleth didn’t know if she liked or disliked it. 

There was also that talk she had with Edelgard earlier. As much as she tried to deny it, she knew that it was still on her mind; how the white-haired woman had opened up a little to her and had shared some of her fears and worries. It surprised Byleth how comfortable she had felt having dinner with the Emperor, even getting to the point of starting a childish bet such as this one. 

Also, Byleth had never met anyone that had seen the true extent of her abilities and still treated her as if nothing had happened. So perhaps that was why she was intrigued by Edelgard and wanted to stay close to her?

She hadn’t lied earlier when she said that she had no love for any of the kingdoms. Her being in Enbarr had been a complete coincidence, the war preventing her from making her way to Faerghus where she had planned to go to next. 

So to now be actively doing her best to protect the Adrestian Emperor… 

Byleth couldn’t stop herself from chuckling at the irony. 

Getting close to the window that led to Edelgard’s room, Byleth prepares her magic so that she can create a small hole on the window, knowing she would need to make the impact almost silent. Using the hole she just made to put her hand in, she moves it around until she finds the mechanism to unlock the window, allowing her to slide it up so that she could jump in. 

_Too damn easy…_ Byleth thinks bitterly as she makes her way further in, her eyes adjusting to the darkness quickly enough for her to make out Edelgard’s shape on top of the bed. 

Yet the moment she does she knows that there’s something wrong with the way the Emperor is thrashing and moving from side to side. 

Getting even closer, it takes Byleth all she has to not rouse the Emperor up. In fact, she had gotten a little careless in her approach after realizing that Edelgard was experiencing a nightmare. 

“Nooo… Please… Don’t… don’t hurt them. Don’t hurt me. It hurts. It hurts.” Edelgard was whimpering as she moved from side to side. “Fa..ther, please help. Help.” she chokes out and Byleth can see tears on the woman’s eyes. 

Seeing Edelgard in such a state made Byleth feel an uncomfortable sensation on her chest, the unfamiliar feeling not very pleasant. She couldn’t stand by and let the woman suffer this way. Yet she also couldn’t rouse her from her sleep without her going into a full panic or fight mode. 

So what to do? 

Kneeling next to Edelgard’s bed, Byleth softly grabs one of the Emperor’s hands and squeezes it, hoping her touch would ground the woman. 

“It’s alright.” she whispers to Edelgard who’s still moving. “You’re not alone. I’m here to help you.” she repeats over and over until her words seem to reach the Emperor who stops moving. 

Not letting go, Byleth continues saying the same thing over and over, hoping to keep the nightmares away. 

She doesn’t remember when it is that she herself falls asleep, her grip on Edelgard’s hand soft and secure. 

_End of Flashback_

Groaning one more time, Byleth is not sure how she feels. One part of her was confused about her behavior last night. Just why was it that she stayed? This was not the way she behaved or treated others. Another part of her was surprised at herself. At having stayed after noticing how scared Edelgard had been. 

For both instances, one thing was clear: The Ashen Demon didn’t do this

“Anyway, can’t change what’s already done.” she murmurs while looking out the window and noticing that it was starting to get brighter. 

Which meant that soon enough Flowa would come in to wake Edelgard. 

Knowing that the last thing the Emperor wanted was for someone to see Byleth in her room, the mercenary determines that it’s time for her to make her way out of Edelgard’s chambers. Letting go and then quickly moving her hand away from Edelgard’s hold, Byleth huffs in relief when the only thing that comes out of her sudden movement is Edelgard murmuring and then moving to the other side of the bed. 

Noticing some paper and a pen on a small table near the closet, Byleth goes ahead and writes a short note, letting Edelgard know she had been able to get in and that she won the bet. 

After that was done, Byleth took extra care in going out the window, her anger at the guards responsible for securing Edelgard’s safety increasing even more. Not only were they unable to catch her last night but they were also absent during the morning. 

She was really going to enjoy getting them scolded. 

Once she was in an area where people wouldn’t suspect her, Byleth relaxed and calmly made herself known to the staff and soldiers around, again getting some bitter and/or curious gazes. 

Nothing really new when it came to her. 

“Well…” she muses to herself. “I’m not feeling very sleepy and it’s early enough for me to be able to go to the dining room and get some breakfast.” 

Making her way to the dining room, she is a little surprised when she sees that Caspar and Petra are already sitting in one of the tables, both with full plates of delicious food in front of them. 

“Professor!” Caspar says excitedly. “Come, come sit with us!” he pushes one of the chairs so she can take a seat. 

Nodding, Byleth makes sure she grabs plenty of food before she heads to the table and sits in the empty chair, hungry and ready to eat. 

“It is nice to see that you are an early riser, Professor.” Petra tells her as she drinks coffee. “Usually Caspar and I are the first ones to make our way into the dining room.” 

“How come?” Byleth asks them and closes her eyes when she takes a bite of the eggs. 

They were delicious. 

“We like to practice a little before our official training sessions begin.” Caspar explains to her. “It never hurts to train more.” 

Petra nods. 

“Caspar and I are the ones that rely more on our bodies, with Caspar being a Warrior and me an Assassin.” 

“I see.” Byleth does. “So what is your routine?” 

“Some running and then weight training.” Petra says. “Edelgard is kind enough to facilitate all we need so that we are in complete shape.” 

“Would you mind if I joined you for those early sessions as well?” Byleth asks them. 

It would be nice to get back in real shape. And, like Caspar had said, it never hurts to get more training done. 

“Not at all! In fact, it’s nice to know you do things like training and such.” Caspar says happily. 

“Why wouldn’t I train?” Byleth asks seriously. “One must never get used to their abilities. Instead, one must do their best to improve and surpass themselves every day.” 

This statement makes both Caspar and Petra hurrah. 

“Spoken like a true warrior!” Petra nods excitedly. “I hope I get to learn plenty of things from you, Professor.” 

“I know Petra already tested you yesterday, Professor. But I’m hoping you’ll be up for some hand to hand sparring!” Caspar exclaims. 

“I plan on fighting all of you individually to see what your skills are.” Byleth confirms to them. 

Although she believed Edelgard when she told her that the Black Eagle Strike Force was one of the best units in the Empire, Byleth wanted to see first-hand how good they were and what they needed to improve. 

Hopefully they would be open and willing to listen to her. 

* * *

Waking up to familiar knocking outside her door, Edelgard yawns and then stretches her back, a soft popping sound coming from the action. But, unlike most days where she felt exhausted and weary, today she was actually feeling great. 

Almost as if she had been able to have a decent amount of sleep. 

Ever since surviving the experiments Those Who Slither In the Dark did to her, Edelgard had been plagued by horrible nightmares. Not only had a part of her been left in those dark dungeons where her family and her had been tortured and driven to madness; but she also had to endure endless nights of seeing her family suffer at their hands. 

A never-ending torture that woke her up in the middle of the night and prevented her from falling back asleep. 

Yet last night that hadn't happened. 

She had been able to sleep. 

Standing to attention when Flowa made her way inside her room and brought her breakfast, Edelgard was a little surprised at not seeing Hubert standing outside waiting for permission to come in. Usually her vassal was the second one to wish her a good morning as he came with paperwork and messages that needed her attention. 

So to not see him was a little surprising. 

Choosing to ask him about this when she saw him at the training session, Edelgard goes to change her pajamas and comes back out wearing her training clothes. Although she was the Emperor and it was custom for royalty to have maids change their clothes, Edelgard hated to let anyone see her many scars. 

In fact, she only allowed Flowa or Hubert to help her change when she had to wear her ceremonial dress or armor. 

“Good morning, Your Majesty.” Flowa says with a warm smile as she sets up the table with food and drinks. “I hope you had a good sleep last night.” she adds hopefully. 

“I actually did.” Edelgard admits to her and sees how her answer surprises Flowa. 

“I’m very glad to hear that.” the older woman tells her honestly. “I brought you your usual remembering you would be participating in today’s training session with the Black Eagle Strike Force.” 

“Thank you Flowa.” she says honestly and sits down to start eating. “How are things looking like in the castle this morning?” 

“Very different, Your Majesty.” Flowa admits. 

“I suspected something like that would happen.” she knows the older woman will get what she means. 

“Master Hubert apologizes for not being able to come greet you this morning. He told me to tell you that something came up that he needed to take care of and that he plans to make a report later today.” Flowa explains. 

Murmuring, Edelgard nods and continues eating, the fact that she didn’t have to alternate between signing documents and discussing things with Hubert letting her truly enjoy her meal. 

“Apart from that, everyone is talking about Master Byleth: How no one knows who she is and what made her gain your favor.” Flowa tells her. “Honestly, some are not happy about this.” 

“It was to be expected.” Edelgard says. “There are many talented people in my army and a position such as the one Byleth has comes with its privileges.” 

“It’s not only the people in the army, Your Majesty. It’s also the staff.” 

“The staff?” Edelgard asks, surprised. “Why would they be upset about Byleth?” 

“For the same reasons your soldiers would be, Your Majesty.” Flowa smiles sadly at her. “I know what you want our society to look like. And I admire that. Yet at the same time I can’t help but feel we are not ready for such changes.” 

This makes Edelgard stare at her old maid. 

“Prejudice does not only come from nobles, Edelgard.” Flowa uses her first name which is something she only does when it's important. “It also comes from the other side.” she nods and starts picking up the finished plates and glasses. “You hiring Master Byleth is bringing that ugliness to light.” 

Nodding, and feeling a little sombered by the news Flowa had just told her, Edelgard watches the maid leave, her mind already thinking of what this could mean for her revolution. 

With her growing up as a noble, she had only seen the ugliness of the class system from the nobility side, with many discriminating against commoners just because of their status. Hence, she had honestly believed that all commoners were just waiting for the right opportunity to shine and improve themselves. 

In fact, she had immediately implemented a merit system in the Empire, hoping such actions would encourage commoners to perform and do the same things nobles did. And some had taken advantage of it and had risen to the occasion. 

But she knew better than that. 

It wasn’t only the nobles that didn’t see commoners worthy. It was also the commoners that didn’t see other commoners as worthy. 

And the thought of her own staff seeing Byleth as unworthy angered her. 

Yet she knew what would happen if she addressed the issue directly. How that would make her staff and people be scared of her. 

No, she had to be smart about this and let Byleth herself show them how capable she was. 

How special she was. 

Nodding, Edelgard plans to step out of her room, hoping she will be able to get to the training grounds earlier for some solo practice. Nevertheless, she stops when she notices a folded piece of paper with her name on the top. 

Surprised, she opens the page and can’t stop herself from chuckling when she reads the message Byleth had left for her. 

_Good Morning,_

_So I guess this means I won our bet and got myself some new armor?_ _P.s: It was easier than expected._

_P.s.s: You’re gonna have to get someone to fix your window._

_Byleth_

Closing the letter and putting it away in one of her drawers, Edelgard feels a little embarrassed at knowing that Byleth had seen her asleep. In fact, she wonders if the woman had seen her having a bad dream or something like that, which was what had made her initially refuse the mercenary’s proposal. 

But that wasn’t the only concerning thing: Byleth _had_ been able to go past her guards and security. True, she knew how uniquely talented the mercenary was and Edelgard suspected she had found a way in that would be harder for regular people to use. 

Then again, just like she was unique, the enemy could find a unique assassin to get the job done. 

Knowing that she would need to talk to both Hubert and Byleth about this, the Emperor opens the door to her room and starts heading out, her oblivious guards bowing in respect. 

Making her way to the training grounds, the Emperor is pleasantly surprised when she sees Caspar, Petra and Byleth lifting weights, her former classmates looking exhausted but determined. 

And Byleth… 

Edelgard had to do her best to not stare at the woman’s arms and abs. 

Taking a breath and then getting to where those three were, she sees the way Byleth smiles softly at her when they notice her, the action making the Emperor blush. 

_Just what the hell was going on with her?!_

“Good morning.” she says to them as she gets close. “It’s nice to see you all training so early.” 

“You know we always like to get some training done before actual practice.” Caspar grins. “And you usually join us when you don’t have Hubert ruining the fun by making you sign so many reports.” 

This makes Edelgard laugh. 

“Just don’t let him hear you say that. You know how much he values those reports.” she jokes with them. “Though you are looking more tired than usual.” 

“It is because the Professor joined us.” Petra admits. “She did the usual run and weight exercises we do, but at her own speed. And we tried to keep up.” she blushes. 

“The attempt was noble.” Byleth jokes with them. “And you are in pretty good shape.” 

“She’s a beast.” Caspar says jokingly. “Honestly, I have never seen anyone run as fast as she does.” 

“I believe you.” Edelgard smiles. “And Professor, please don’t try to kill your students on your first day of class.” 

“I make no promises.” Byleth tells her and this makes them all laugh. 

“Now then, is it too late for me to join you on your weight training?” she asks them but mostly focuses on Byleth. “It’s been a while since I’ve been able to lift.” 

“Oh! Edelgard, you have to challenge Byleth!” Caspar adds excitedly. “Edelgard is the one that can lift the most from the Black Eagle Strike Force!” he says to Byleth.

“Oh really?” Byleth asks amusedly. 

“That has been the case.” Edelgard smirks. “Though I may be a little rusty from lack of training.” 

“Me too.” the mercenary smiles. “So…” she teases her. “Up for the challenge?” 

“Always.” Edelgard says back. 

* * *

Caspar had not been joking when he said Edelgard was strong. In fact, seeing the Emperor be able to match her when it came to training and the strength she showed… 

It was making Byleth, for the first time in forever, feel excited about the prospect of training with someone else. 

Someone that could be seen as an equal to her. 

“Go Edelgard!” she hears Petra cheer as the Emperor deadlifts her set. 

Watching the woman’s form, Byleth can’t stop herself from blushing, her eyes remaining on the Emperor’s behind for longer than what many would consider proper. 

Huffing, she claps with Caspar and Petra when Edelgard is done, chalking her hands so she could switch and prepare to do her own set. 

Both had chosen to do a weight competition in which they lifted the same weight the same number of times. The moment one of them was unable to finish their set, the other had to finish it to be declared the winner. 

Edelgard had chosen to go first, wanting to be the one setting the pace and speed the heavier they went. 

“You’re keeping a good pace.” Byleth compliments the Emperor who is cleaning her sweat with a towel. “And your shape is really good.” 

“Thank you, Professor.” Edelgard blushes a little. “You’re also quite formidable. It’s been a while since I’ve had someone match me in terms of weight lifting.” 

“Likewise.” Byleth groans as she lifts the bar and finishes her set. 

“You just did 400 pounds as if it was nothing!” Caspar says in complete awe. 

“Though we are very close to training time with the rest of the Black Eagles.” Edelgard muses but then smirks at the mercenary. “Think you’re already warmed up?” 

Byleth smiles at the woman’s obvious challenge. 

“I am. Wanna try to settle this with one last deadlift?” 

Edelgard nods and with the help of Caspar and Petra they put the necessary weight to make the bar be 600 pounds. 

Staring at the white-haired woman, Byleth feels that spark of competitiveness rise within her. It had been a really long time since she lifted something that heavy, and based on the way Edelgard was looking at the bar, she suspected that the Emperor was in a similar situation or had never lifted such a weight. 

Not knowing the exact answer made the excitement and anticipation rise within her. 

“Whomever is able to lift this wins.” Edelgard says while chalking her hands. “If we both do it, then it’s a tie.” she puts herself in place. “Caspar, Petra, can you spot for me?” she asks her classmates and both nod while getting ready. 

Nodding in acceptance, Byleth watches as Edelgard takes deep, calming breaths, doing her utmost best to concentrate. Yet that wasn’t everything the white-haired woman was doing, Byleth realizes with a smile on her face as she sees the Emperor’s muscles contract and then relax. 

She was working herself up into a tense situation where her body would have to create adrenaline to function!

“Okay.” Edelgard says and stands in front of the bar. 

One, two, three. 

“UFFFF.” Edelgard groans as she grabs the bar and lifts it up, her movement not as comfortable as before but still pretty good for the sudden increase in weight. Seeing the way the woman was pushing herself, going past her limits so she could win… 

It made Byleth want to do the same. 

Once Edelgard is able to stand straight, she lets the bar go, relaxing her muscles and giving everyone a bright smile at having succeeded and lifted so much. 

“Yeaaaaah!” both Caspar and Petra scream and go to hug Edelgard, the Emperor chuckling and allowing herself to be hugged by her friends, who were screaming and congratulating the woman. 

“That was incredible.” Byleth whispers as she watches Edelgard relax and go for her towel, the relief and happiness on her face at having succeeded at the challenge very obvious. 

She wanted to go to Edelgard so she could congratulate her, but at the same time she knew she had to try to do this now. So instead of getting close to where the others were, Byleth went to put some chalk on her hands, using that time to mentally prepare herself for what she was about to do. 

Stepping towards the bar, she can see that Petra, Caspar and Edelgard were now staring at her, waiting for her to ask for either help or watch her do her thing. 

“Like Edelgard, I will need you two to spot for me.” she tells Caspar and Petra who nod and move to do so. 

Once they’re all in place, she takes one last look at Edelgard, who is staring solely at her, and does the same thing the Emperor had done to get her body ready. The moment her muscles feel ready, she nods and grabs the bar, taking two deep, calming breaths to prepare for the explosiveness she knew she needed to lift the bar. 

“Now!” she screams and moves to stand straight, the strain the weight has on the bar making it dent on the sides. And, just as it had been when it was Edelgard’s turn, the dramatic increase in weight was making Byleth also strain while doing the movement. 

Yet with one last groan she’s able to stand completely straight, watching the same awe she knew she must have had on her face when Edelgard made the lift; reflected on the Emperor’s face. 

Letting the barbell go, she feels her legs and arms tingle from the sudden strength she had needed to lift the weight. And, just like they had done when Edelgard succeeded, both Caspar and Petra went to her to congratulate her, with Edelgard following behind. 

“That was great.” the Emperor tells her honestly. “I enjoyed competing with you, Byleth.” 

“So did I.” Byleth says honestly. “It’s been the first time someone has been able to keep up with me.” she admits. 

“Really?” Edelgard smiles happily. “Then I will take it as a compliment that we tied.” 

“You were both amazing.” Petra adds from the sidelines. “Very inspirational.” 

“Thank you Petra.” Edelgard nods. “Though I have to admit I’m now feeling a little tired from actual practice.” 

“I hope that doesn’t mean you plan on skipping.” Byleth can’t stop herself from teasing the Emperor. “Since I was hoping I would get to test your axe skills.” 

Her challenging tone made that competitive spark within Edelgard lit up. 

“I don’t skip.” she answers with a dangerous smile to Petra and Caspar’s amusement.

Seems like the Professor had found the best way to keep Edelgard engaged. 


	5. First Day of Training

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following her morning training with Edelgard, Petra and Caspar; Byleth is ready to teach her first lesson to the Black Eagle Strike Force. But before that, she wants to measure their skills by facing them one-on-one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A shorter update but I felt this was a good place to cut the chapter. Next update on Wednesday :) 
> 
> Thank you all for the kudos and support! It really means a lot to me :)

As it got closer for practice to begin, Byleth started taking note of when people started arriving. Following Edelgard’s arrival, Ferdinand made his way in, his cheeky smile disappearing at the sight of the Emperor already sweaty from working out. 

“But I had wanted to arrive earlier than Edelgard!” he had said to everyone’s amusement. 

After Ferdinand came Dorothea, who gave everyone a warm smile before settling down next to Petra, who started talking with the brunette about the training they just had, the mortal savant’s gaze switching between Edelgard and Byleth. 

A couple of minutes after Dorothea’s arrival, Hubert made his way in, his usual formal and serious demeanor not bothering anyone, the group merely smiling at him and watching him go to where Edelgard was standing, his stance protective. 

Taking a look at the clock, Byleth realizes that it’s almost time for practice to begin. 

And there were still two people missing. 

“Of course it’s those two the ones that are late.” Dorothea chuckles. “Though I think it wasn’t very smart of us to make Bernie wake Linhardt up.” 

“We are here!” they all hear Bernadetta cry out as she pulls Linhardt with her. “It was harder than usual to wake him up.” 

“Do we really have to train so early?” Linhardt groans. “I’ll always say afternoon training is so much better.” 

“This is the only time we can all meet and practice together.” Edelgard reminds him. 

“Besides, you can just go back to bed after we are done.” Petra adds. 

“Caspar won’t let me. He’ll drag me around the palace as he tries to find people to fight him.” 

“He’s right.” Caspar chuckles. “Can’t improve without Lin giving me tips and strategies.” 

Noticing the way that statement makes the bishop blush, Byleth starts suspecting that the two of them are more than friends. 

“Not to say that this conversation isn’t interesting.” Hubert interrupts them. “But we are wasting precious time that we can use for training.” he then stares at Byleth. “So what will you have us do today, Professor?” he adds challengingly. 

“I want to see your abilities and your fighting styles. Because of that, you will all face me one at a time using your preferred weapon. I will try to either match your weapon or use one that is not superior to yours.” 

“You are that confident about your skills, aren’t you?” Ferdinand asks with a smile. “Very well. I, Ferdinand von Aegir, accept your challenge!” 

“He really doesn’t know when to stand down, does he?” Edelgard murmurs. “Though it will be interesting to see how everyone else fares against Byleth’s skills.” 

“Indeed. While her style is crass and inelegant, she is lethal and precise when it comes to fighting and magic. The others will learn a lot from her.” Hubert says from behind her. 

“You think you will not?” she asks her vassal. 

“I apologize if that’s the way it sounded.” he says. “I just doubt she’ll know any dark magic that I’m not familiar with. Unfortunately, we’ve experienced things that made us grow up faster than our classmates, Your Majesty.” 

“You’re right about that.” Edelgard murmurs somberly and focuses back on Byleth and Ferdinand who were now standing a couple of feet away from them, the noble using a lance while Byleth had a sword. 

She really was going for the weapon that had the disadvantage.

“Are you ready for me, Professor?” Ferdinand asks while raising his lance and pointing it at Byleth. 

“Ready.” she nods and watches Ferdinand run towards her, his intent of attack obvious. 

Moving to the side, Byleth dodges and watches Ferdinand pass, his strut stopping the moment he feels the lance break. 

Surprised, he turns around to look at Byleth, who had put her sword away and was making her way towards him with her fists raised.

“I knew where you were going to hit the moment I saw you. While you’re talented and managed to stop my sword by sacrificing your weapon, we should work on hiding your intent and of where you’re targeting the enemy. Maybe a horse will help with this. Can you ride?” 

“Of course I can!” he says immediately. “And I’ve considered using a horse during battle.” he admits to her. “I just never got to practice and learn from a professional.” 

“I’ll teach you.” she promises him as she lowers her hands and turns to the rest of the Black Eagles who had watched the exchange in complete silence. “Who wants to be next?” 

Dorothea, surprisingly, is the one that raises her hand; her gaze is one that Edelgard had not seen on the brunette’s face in a long time. 

Mistrust. 

Watching the two prepare, Edelgard can’t help but wonder what had made Dorothea distrust Byleth. Usually the brunette was the first one to open up and welcome people. Yet it was clear to anyone that knew the magician that she didn’t like the mercenary. 

“I will use both my magic and a sword since that’s my specialty.” Dorothea tells Byleth seriously. “I hope that’s alright.” 

“Then I’ll do the same.” Byleth nods and takes her sword out, waiting for Dorothea to start attacking her.

“Now!” Dorothea yells and casts a Sagittae, Byleth jumping out-of-the-way before the spell could hit her. 

Yet before she could truly land, she sensed Dorothea close-by, a sword slashing above her. Moving away once more, the mercenary is pleasantly surprised at the intensity with which Dorothea was fighting. 

The magician was fierce and talented, which was something Byleth deeply respected. So, to reciprocate that effort, the mercenary prepared her own spell. 

Concentrating her magic, Byleth casts a Bolganone, the spell surprising Dorothea who has to stop pursuing Byleth and fall back. 

Knowing that was her opportunity to win the fight, Byleth goes through the fire of her Bolganone, the action surprising Dorothea who hadn’t expected the mercenary to step through the flames. 

Pointing her sword at the woman’s neck, she gets an acknowledging nod from Dorothea who lowers her swords. 

“I yield.” she says with a smile. “Honestly, who would have thought you would be crazy enough to go through the flames to gain the advantage? You could have gotten burned.” 

“True. But your magic is superior to mine, so I knew I couldn’t win unless I made a risky move like that.” she explains honestly. “You surprised me for a moment.” 

“Too bad it wasn’t enough to beat you.” she teases her. “Though this makes me understand why Edelgard took a liking to you, Professor Byleth. You’re determined.” 

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” 

“It was.” the brunette confirms. “And I apologize for my attitude before the fight.” 

“What attitude?” Byleth asks honestly. 

This makes Dorothea laugh. 

“You’re just hilarious, Professor. It will be fun learning from you.” she says and winks at Edelgard, who had been focused on the fight. 

“My turn, my turn!” Caspar exclaims and gets ready. “I’ve been wanting to fight the professor for a while now.” 

Watching the fights go by, Edelgard isn’t surprised that none of her classmates can beat Byleth. While her friends were talented and knew how to battle, they were inexperienced in fighting mercenaries and people who not only relied on brute strength but also strategy and tricks. 

Fortunately for them, most of the battles they have had since the war started were pretty self-explanatory, with the main Imperial Army advancing from the sidelines while the Strike Force took priority in defeating the enemy commander by blending in with the troops and launching surprise ambushes. 

But Edelgard had been worried that their strategy would stop working the more they fought. That their enemies would be able to figure out their plans and use it against them. Hence, she had thought of different instructors, fighters, etc., who could teach the Black Eagles different fighting styles. 

And then her carriage had been ambushed by assassins. 

Smiling at the irony that brought Byleth to her, Edelgard can’t help but wonder if it was fate what made her meet Byleth. Regardless, the moment she saw the mercenary fight and was able to offer her a job, Edelgard didn’t hesitate, knowing an opportunity like this one would never come again. 

And she didn’t regret it one bit. 

“Good job with your speed when it came to releasing the arrows.” she hears Byleth tell Bernadetta who nods in embarrassment. “We just need to build more strength so that you don’t need to waste arrows on an enemy that can easily be defeated with one.” 

“Understood.” Bernadetta says while hiding away beneath the table. 

Based on the way everyone was looking at Hubert and her, it seemed that they were the only two that still hadn’t fought Byleth. 

“It seems like it’s my turn now.” Hubert murmurs while stepping away from Edelgard towards Byleth, who nods and gets herself in place. “I won’t go easy on you, Professor.” 

“Me neither.” she promises. “I know I would die if I did.” 

This makes Hubert chuckle. 

“You’re starting to get it.” he compliments her. “There will be no mercy.” he prepares his magic and throws a Miasma at the mercenary, the woman responding with her own fire spell. When the two spells collide, a big explosion blinds everyone for a moment, confusing Hubert who had expected the professor to dodge as usual. 

“So she used my spell as an explosion to hide herself.” he murmurs. “Very clever.” he hears a noise coming from his right. “But not that clever!” he throws a Banshee to finish the fight in one attack. 

Yet when the smoke dissipates, he sees that his spell has hit a rock instead. 

“Damn it.” he mutters and is surprised when an arrow comes straight towards him. 

Jumping out-of-the-way, he finds himself falling backwards, the speed with which Byleth was firing arrows preventing him from finding good footing to launch an offensive attack. 

_She’s really good…_ he admits to himself as he feels he’s close to the castle walls. 

Without a place to go, he knows the match is over the moment an arrow embedded with fire lands next to his feet, it being pretty clear that the professor could have finished him with that last attack. 

“I yield.” he raises his hands and bows once to Byleth who nods and steps back. “Honestly, I was not expecting to learn much from you.” 

“It’s true that I don’t know how to do dark magic.” she admits. “But perhaps I can teach you better ways to defend yourself and prevent what happened now from happening during a real fight. 

“That would be really helpful.” he states to everyone’s surprise. “I appreciate it, Professor.” 

Nodding, Byleth watches him retreat and stares expectantly at Edelgard, who was now truly smiling at her. 

“I’m surprised.” she states to her as they get closer. “That you were able to make Hubert change his opinion of you. In fact, you’ve been able to show everyone that you have plenty to teach us.” 

“I honestly was expecting this to be boring.” Byleth is honest. “But I’ve enjoyed fighting and training with you all.” she looks away. “I’ve never done this with other people.”

This makes Edelgard stare at the blue-haired woman, wondering what kind of life Byleth had before they met.

“I’m glad to hear that.” the Emperor says honestly. “And it has been amusing to see you teach my friends some humility. Since we’ve won all of our battles, they were thinking too highly of themselves and I was worried.” 

“You’re a good friend, Your Majesty.” Byleth tells her as she grabs an axe from the arsenal. 

“Oh…” Edelgard says amusedly. “You will fight me with my preferred weapon?” 

“I want to see up-close how you fight. The day of the ambush I was a little preoccupied to pay notice to your form and skills.” the mercenary explains to her. 

“Likewise, Professor.” Edelgard admits. “Don’t even think of not giving your 100%.” 

“I wouldn’t dare.” Byleth smirks at the woman. “Now!” this time she attacks first and smiles when Edelgard easily defends herself. 

“Cheeky, Professor. But not good enough.” she now runs forward and uses her axe to launch a side attack, the Professor rolling to the side before the hilt of the axe makes contact with her. 

Unlike the other fights, where it had been clear that Byleth had the clear advantage, this time it seemed that the two were evenly matched, with both women trading and receiving hits equally. 

“They’re so good.” Caspar says from the sidelines, focusing on the footwork the two women were using to keep themselves active. 

“Her Majesty has trained her whole life to become the Emperor.” Hubert explains. “To take the throne and lead the Imperial Army to victory.” 

“Edie…” Dorothea whispers and feels Petra squeezing her hand. 

“Do not feel sorry for her, Thea.” the warrior tells her. “Just look at her face. It is clear as day that she is enjoying this fight. That she is having fun.” 

And Petra was right. For the first time since she can remember, Edelgard was really enjoying herself, using all the skills and techniques she had learned under duress and pressure to be on the same level as Byleth. 

Smirking, she faints in an attack and watches Byleth fall for it, her axe moving just enough for Edelgard to hit the woman on the chest, the hit making Byleth fall back a couple of feet. 

Feeling concerned at the power she used for that attack, she manages to jump back just in time before Byleth gets close and tries to punch her. 

“Good reflexes.” Byleth compliments her with a smirk. 

“Good endurance.” she adds her own compliment as well. “I thought that hit might have knocked the air out of you.” 

“It will take more than that to do so, Your Majesty.” Byleth smiles and uses her feet to make Edelgard fall, immediately jumping on top of the woman and creating a fireball in her hand, knowing this would make her win the fight. 

“I win.” she smirks. 

“Do you?” Edelgard teases her with a fire-ball of her own pointing to Byleth’s back. 

It was a tie yet again. 

“I guess I don’t.” she makes her fire-ball dissipate and helps Edelgard up, both women blushing a little at the feeling of holding each other’s hands. 

“That was…” Edelgard can’t think of a word to describe what that fight felt like. 

“I know.” the mercenary smiles softly and steps away so she can focus on the rest of the Black Eagles, who were rooting and cheering for both. 

“That was incredible.” Bernadetta says. “I didn’t know you could do magic, Edelgard.” 

“I had Hubert teach me some spells after we left Garreg Mach.” she admits to them. “First time I’ve had to use them in a fight though.” 

“I’m surprised you were able to keep up with the professor at all.” Linhardt admits. “Though not unexpected from you, Edelgard.” 

“You’ve always been the strongest of the Black Eagles.” Dorothea agrees. “Always protecting us.” 

“Everyone…” Edelgard blushes at the praise of her friends. 

“The fight you just had showed me how different our levels are, Edelgard.” Ferdinand admits sadly. “And that only makes me want to work harder than ever to lessen the distance between our skills! Believe me, I’ll work twice as hard to make up for my shortcomings.” he vows. 

“I believe you, Ferdinand. And I’m looking forward to all of us improving and becoming better versions of ourselves.” she says softly. “I know that with the Professor helping us, this can happen.” 

“I’ll do anything I can to help.” Byleth promises them. 

“Then let’s make this the end of the lesson and go back to our responsibilities.” Edelgard smiles. “The Professor will let you know when our next lesson will be.” she nods to Byleth. “Now Byleth, if you could follow me back to the studio… There are several things we need to discuss.” 


	6. Formulating a Plan and Dinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After finishing their practice session with the Black Eagle Strike Force, Byleth, Edelgard and Hubert meet in order to discuss the latest developments regarding the mercenary's impromptu break-in as well as solutions for the soldiers' lacking security practices.  
> Revelations are made about the mole and conversations are had between the Black Eagles and Byleth, who is slowly getting used to spending time at the Imperial Castle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter! Thank you for following and putting kudos on this story :)

Although Edelgard had said that they would be heading to the studio for a meeting, after realizing how sweaty and dirty they were from their training; both women had chosen to take a bath and then reconvene at the Emperor’s room in an hour. 

Thankful for the opportunity to take a shower, Byleth groans when she feels the hot water soothing her body and the soreness she was now experiencing. She hadn’t lied when she said it had been a while since she last seriously trained and her body’s state was proof of that. 

Using the soap provided by Flowa, Byleth can’t help but relax since she had never taken a bath in such luxurious conditions. Living as a mercenary meant that she would usually bathe in rivers and such or rush to one of the many public baths in the towns. While she wasn’t very picky when it came to those things, she wouldn’t be able to be successful in her job if she were, she couldn’t deny bathing like this felt incredible. 

_I may get spoiled…_ she murmurs and stands up from the tub.

Getting out of the water and drying herself with a towel, Byleth goes back to her room and takes out some clothes from her bag, quickly dressing herself up and combing her hair so it looks presentable. 

Staring at herself in the mirror, she stops for a moment to take a look at her reflection. Long blue-hair and blue eyes were watching her inquisitively, her stance confident and aware of her surroundings; something that she had gotten used to doing from her job and the risks it had. In fact, she had learned the hard way to always be alert no matter where she was. 

But overall, Byleth is pleased with the way she looks, and after grabbing her sword, she makes her way out; not before confirming she had set-up her anti-thieving trap just in case. 

Which was another lesson she had learned from her mercenary days: To never trust her environment. 

Now that she was more familiar with her surroundings, it takes Byleth less time than usual to arrive at Edelgard's door. The guards, who were giving her some hard looks, were not letting her come in nor were they willing to announce her. 

“The Emperor is busy at the moment and has asked for no interruptions.” the guard smirks at her. 

“We both know that’s not the case since I happen to be one of the people the Emperor will be meeting with.” Byleth tells them seriously. 

“We were not given any specific instructions about your arrival.” the other guard says. “In order to keep Her Majesty safe, I’m afraid we can’t let you in until the Emperor confirms you’re allowed to enter.” 

“So all you need to hear is the Emperor giving me permission?” she asks and gets a laugh and nod in response. “Okay then.” she moves forward and hits both men on their groin, the two of them screaming and falling down with their hands grabbing their crotches. 

“Just what the hell is going on?!” she hears Edelgard scream as she opens the door, Hubert standing in front of her with a ball of dark magic in his hands. 

“These two guards were refusing to let me in.” Byleth explains. “Said that the only way they would let me in would be once the Emperor told them I was allowed to enter.” 

This statement makes Edelgard stare menacingly at the guards. 

“I know you were told we would be waiting for the instructor of the Black Eagles to join us.” she adds darkly and this makes the guards stop yelling and stare worriedly at the Emperor. 

“Your Majesty, we just weren’t sure she was telling us the truth.” one of them explains himself. “We were being extra careful.” 

“Were you?” Edelgard asks bitterly. “Because I happened to hear that much of the soldiers and staff were aware of Professor Byleth’s new position at the Empire. Or was I mistaken?” 

“You were not.” the guard whispers. “We’re sorry.” 

“You better make sure you’re not here when I’m done with my meeting.” the Emperor murmurs and this is enough for the guards to stand up and run away. “Please, join us.” she tells Byleth who nods and makes her way in, making sure she locks the door behind her. 

“I apologize if what they said to you was offensive, Byleth. I can make sure they pay for their disrespect towards you by firing them.” 

“Nothing I’m not used to.” she shrugs. “And them spreading the word about what happened may be incentive enough for others to not do the same?” she wonders. “Though I’m surprised they were that direct and blunt in their dislike towards me. Especially with Her Majesty being so close-by.” 

“Indeed.” Hubert agrees with her. “Perhaps some sort of test to see how you would react, Your Majesty.” 

“Perhaps.” Edelgard groans while taking a seat. “What happened now confirms what we were just talking about, Hubert.” 

Byleth stares questioningly at the Emperor. 

“Flowa told me earlier that some of the soldiers and staff were not happy with your new position as instructor. Of course I was expecting some resentment but not to this extent.” 

Byleth shrugs, not really surprised that this happened. 

“I remember what you told me about your wishes for Fodlan.” the mercenary says. “And I want to believe that such a change can happen.” she looks down. “I just don’t think the people you want to help are ready to be helped.” 

“You mean to say that commoners do not wish to be seen as more than commoners?” Hubert asks baffled. 

“I mean to say that some commoners do not want to see _other_ commoners be more successful than them.” Byleth clarifies. 

“But why?” Edelgard asks. “Why wouldn’t they wish for a system that would allow them to do their best to improve themselves?” 

“Because they’re comfortable with their lives? Because they’re so used to the system that they’ve embraced it? Because they’ve found ways to grow within the system?” the mercenary wonders. “Think about it. If a man works for years in a noble house, expecting recognition and repayment for his loyalty, how do you think he would feel if suddenly the rules changed and a person that was hired a week ago gets the same opportunity he gets at a better job within the household? They would find it unfair, wouldn’t they?” 

Edelgard nods, understanding what Byleth meant. 

“Commoners found their own ways of improving their lives within the system. To see someone who is like them disregard those rules and rise higher than them; it’s not surprising they would react so strongly.” Byleth shrugs. 

“I can see how that would be upsetting for them.” Hubert agrees. “But that does not justify them disregarding Her Majesty’s orders.” 

“Of course not.” Byleth says. “Which is why you’ll have to slowly get people within the castle used to the new system. Once they see how positive those changes are, they’ll adopt them.” 

“That does make sense.” Edelgard murmurs. “Besides, it will be a good test run to see how the staff at the castle reacts to the changes we want to enact in Fodlan once we win the war.” 

Hubert nods in confirmation. 

“Then I’ll inform the necessary parties of these changes.” 

“About that…” Byleth interrupts them apologetically. “I was wondering if I could join you when you talk to the head of guards.” 

“Why?” 

“Yesterday I wanted to test the castle’s security and whether it would be difficult to infiltrate Her Majesty’s bedroom.” Byleth explains and rushes over the details before Hubert demands explanations about why she did this. “And I made my way in and out of her room too easily. The guards were distracted and there were areas that should have been guarded that didn’t have any soldiers around. I know I have an advantage because I’m inside the castle and I got the opportunity to see Her Majesty’s bedroom beforehand.” she closes her eyes. “But if our mole is from the Empire, they can easily get the same information I got.” 

“You’re right.” Hubert agrees. “General Randolph is a good man who will be just as upset as I am about our guards’ lacking performance.” 

“Yet we can’t tell the guards why they’re being scolded, can we?” Edelgard murmurs. “Not if we don’t want to make it known that someone was able to break into my room.” 

Byleth and Hubert nod in agreement. 

“So what we can do instead is let Randolph know this happened and ask him to make changes to the soldiers’ shifts and locations based on Byleth’s observations.” 

“Making it seem as if it’s an initiative being taken by General Randolph himself.” Byleth muses. “That does sound like it could work.” 

“Thought so as well.” the Emperor smirks. “With that decided, how is the construction of the adjacent door going?” she asks while pointing towards the far end wall where a set of drawings and potions were laying. 

Right, Byleth had completely forgotten about that! 

“The workers say they will have the door done by the end of the day.” Hubert informs them. “At the moment, they were asked to get some food while Her Majesty and you took a bath.” he explains. “And both Caspar and Petra are making sure they don’t talk to anyone we don’t want them to.” 

“But I thought they would be the ones building the door?” Byleth asks, confused. 

“I just said Hubert would ask them for their aid.” Edelgard clarifies. “I didn’t mean they would actually build the door themselves.” she chuckles when she sees how Byleth blushed a little in embarrassment. 

“I thought they would.” she murmurs to the nobles’ amusement. 

“Because the palace is old, we need specialists to make a hole on the wall without damaging the castle’s infrastructure.” Hubert explains to her. “Hence, I went to ask Petra and Caspar if they knew anyone in town that could do the job.” 

“Petra and Caspar do a lot of business with the town merchants for us.” Edelgard adds. “As such, we suspected they would know best who we should hire.” 

“I see.” Byleth muses and still feels a little embarrassed at having looked so foolish in front of Edelgard. 

Sensing the mercenary’s mood, Edelgard moves to their next order of business. 

“What about our mole?” she asks and this immediately gets Byleth back in action. 

Hubert gives the Emperor one questioning look before answering. 

“Our contact at the Alliance requested to speak with me earlier this morning.” he tells them. “That’s why I was late to practice.” he says annoyed. “I told them about the possible mole and asked them to investigate which nobles from their side knew our travel routes and to get back to me as soon as they had that information.” 

“Is your informant a trusted source?” Byleth has to ask. 

“They are.” Edelgard says confidently. “I don’t question their loyalty to my cause at all.” 

Nodding, Byleth apologizes to Hubert for interrupting and asks him to continue. 

“Regarding our own side of the investigation; I’ve obtained a list of all the people who were aware of our return travel route. I plan to investigate them myself.” he finishes his report. 

“Thank you Hubert.” Edelgard tells him. 

“Can I ask something, Your Majesty?” Byleth looks at the Emperor who nods. “Why did your spy at the Alliance make contact with you?” 

This question makes Edelgard and Hubert look at each other, the answer obvious to Byleth right away. 

“They were informing you about King Dimitri making his own moves at the Alliance, weren’t they? They couldn’t have known about the mole so quickly and traveling from the border of Leicester to Enbarr takes most of the day.” she surmises. “Meaning your spy didn’t come here because you summoned them.” 

“I really can’t keep anything hidden from you, can I?” Edelgard chuckles. “You’re right. They updated us about Dimitri’s attempt to gain support from Leicester.” 

“And?” 

“Professor, I know you’re concerned, but you are pushing the consideration and respect Her Majesty has for you.” Hubert reminds her. 

“I don’t think I am.” she tells him bluntly. “How do you want me to do my job of protecting Her Majesty if I don’t know about _all_ possible threats? Perhaps nothing may come out of this move from the Faerghus King, but what if it does? What if it makes someone react and do something against the Emperor? How do you expect me to prepare when I don’t know what’s happening?” she argues passionately to the surprise of the two nobles. 

“Byleth…” 

“I know it’s a risk to have me around and that you’re already trusting me a lot by letting me even be here.” she tells the Emperor. “But you said you wanted me. You chose me.” she reminds the woman. “And I would like to believe that I chose you too.” she whispers the last part. “So trust me to do the job you hired me to do.” 

Staring at Byleth, Edelgard can sense the honesty of the woman. And, she is also surprised at the emotion the mercenary was showing them. How deeply affected she was by their attempt to hide things from her. 

At the thought of this preventing her from doing her job to the best of her abilities. 

And Byleth was right. Edelgard had been the one that extended her hand to the mercenary, the one that had offered her the job. 

So to now try to keep her away from the truth, for creating obstacles in her way… 

Edelgard would no longer do that. 

“I will trust you to keep me safe.” she promises the mercenary. “And I will no longer keep information pertaining to my safety a secret. And neither will Hubert.” 

“Understood Your Majesty.” the Dark Bishop agrees and stares at Byleth. “I respect your honesty and your skills. I don’t trust you like my Emperor does yet…” he admits. “But I will do as she commands.” 

“That’s all I ask.” Byleth says relieved and relaxes her stance. “Can I ask once more what your informant told you?” 

“They said that Dimitri approached the nobles with a daring proposal: If they chose to support him, he promised them they would be invading Enbarr by the end of the year.” Edelgard muses darkly. 

“But it’s the Verdant Rain Moon.” Byleth whispers. “That would only give him four months to prepare.”

“Which surprised us as well.” Hubert tells her. “So either he’s lying to the nobles to gain their support... “ 

“Or he found a way to infiltrate the capital in that short amount of time.” 

* * *

Staring at the ceiling, Byleth can’t stop thinking about the conversation she had with Edelgard and Hubert earlier that day. The threat of war, for the first time since she escaped Garreg Mach all those years ago, was as real and as close to her as it had ever been. 

And the mere thought of being involved terrified her. 

What if _she_ somehow found out about her? 

What if that monster tried to get her back? 

The thought of returning to that white prison terrified Byleth. Her father had given his life to allow her the opportunity to escape. 

So for there to now be the possibility of that monster finding her… 

But the more rational part of her was also telling her that unless she went directly to Garreg Mach, such a thing wouldn’t happen. No one apart from the monster and her right hand man knew she had escaped. In fact, she had heard from mercenaries that had worked with the Knights of Seiros that the soldiers often spoke of the Blade Breaker, their former leader who had quit his job to become a mercenary due to the heartbreak of losing his wife and child in childbirth. That was, of course, a lie since she was alive. But that lie also meant that no one would suspect she had a connection to Garreg Mach and Rhea. 

Yet King Dimitri had made an alliance with the Church of Seiros. It wasn’t too far-fetched for her to think that the monster would somehow get involved in aiding the King with his insane conquest of Enbarr. 

By revealing her true self and using that power to conquer the city. 

“That would just make her lose all the support and credibility the church has.” Byleth whispers to herself. “Unless she was in a position where that was the only choice she had, she wouldn’t do it.” 

All of these possible scenarios had prevented Byleth from taking a nap. One that she should have taken considering that after dinner she would have to wait until Edelgard fell asleep before entering her room to keep watch. 

Now more than ever she would make sure the Emperor remained safe. 

Another unfortunate development was that someone had gotten into her room. After making her way back to her room, Byleth could sense that something wasn’t right. And while she had assumed at first that it had been the people hired to build the adjacent door, Byleth had noticed that some of her things were moved. True, the person that did so tried to make it seem as if nothing had been done but they weren’t careful enough. 

Meaning that someone was looking into her. 

“But even then there are too many suspects to even consider.” she murmurs. “With how the soldiers and staff see me, I wouldn’t be surprised they would try to sneak in to find something incriminating about me.” 

Groaning, and feeling a little annoyed at all the worries and concerns this new job was giving her, Byleth makes her way to the dining room, hoping that a nice meal would make her feel better. The moment she gets there she sees some of the Black Eagles sitting on a table. 

“Professor!” Dorothea calls her with a smile. “Come have dinner with us!” 

“I don’t wish to interrupt you.” she tells them just in case they were inviting her out of duty. 

“Nonsense!” Ferdinand says immediately. “We’ve been wanting to chat with you for a while now but Edelgard has kept you all for herself.” 

This makes the table laugh. 

“Now stop it Ferdie.” the brunette chuckles. “If Edie were to hear you say that she wouldn’t like it.”

“I want to know more about you, Teach.” Caspar adds. “You’re so good at fighting that you must have done and seen a lot.” 

“I think Hubert said that you are a mercenary?” Petra questions her. 

Byleth nods. 

“Like you said, I’ve done plenty of jobs where I’ve had to battle. And from each battle I’ve learned and adapted, using those skills obtained to keep surviving.” the mercenary says seriously. “That’s what being a mercenary is like: You work to live and live to work.” 

“That sounds exhausting.” Linhardt yawns.

“It can be.” Byleth agrees with him. “But it’s also nice to not know where you’ll be going next and being a mercenary allows you to travel all around the kingdoms.” 

“That does sound fun.” Caspar says. 

“But where is your home?” Bernadetta asks her. 

“Very rarely mercenaries will have homes. The ones that do it’s because they have their own families and even then they travel too much for them to be around.” 

“That sounds lonely.” Dorothea murmurs. “Going from place to place, leaving a town and then focusing on the next thing.” 

“There have to be pros and cons to everything, right?” Byleth muses. “And it’s up to us to decide whether the pros balance the cons.” 

“And in your case do they balance the cons?” Ferdinand asks. 

“I’m here now, aren’t I?” she smirks. “If I wasn’t a mercenary I wouldn’t have been hired by the Emperor.” she lies a little knowing people could be listening. 

“Indeed.” they hear a familiar voice and all turn around to see Edelgard and Hubert make their way to the table. 

“You’ll be eating with us?!” Bernadetta exclaims excitedly. 

“If it’s alright with you all.” Edelgard says embarrassed. 

“You know it is and it’s silly of you to think that wouldn’t be the case.” Dorothea admonishes her while making space so that Edelgard and Hubert could sit. “Here, you sit next to the professor while we put Hubie next to Ferdie.” she chuckles. 

Curious, Byleth watches both Edelgard and Hubert go to where Dorothea had told them to even though they were the ones usually giving the orders. 

“We know better than to try to tell Dorothea otherwise.” Edelgard explains to her as she sits down.

“Am I really that transparent?” she asks curiously. 

“I don’t think so.” Edelgard smiles as she says this. 

_Then how was it that you knew exactly what I was thinking?_ Byleth wants to ask but hesitates because of where they were. 

“Oh come on Hubie, don’t give me that scary look.” Dorothea smiles. “You know we love having you both here, right Ferdie?” she teases the man who blushes a little. 

Wait, was he blushing because of Edelgard? 

Byleth hadn’t suspected that the noble liked the Emperor in such a way. In fact, their relationship seemed more like one of siblings. 

But if that was the case then why was Dorothea teasing him? 

She notices Edelgard chuckling at this statement as well. 

“Right! We always say how we wish you two would join us regularly.” he chuckles nervously. 

“Especially Hubie.” the brunette keeps saying. “When I invite him he always says he’s too busy.” she smirks. “Perhaps it has to be the _right_ person the one that invites him?” 

Ferdinand spits his drink.

_Ohhhhhh._

“You should see your face right now!” Caspar grins. “Isn’t it hilarious Lin?” 

Linhardt nods. 

“Honestly everyone knows you two like each other so why pretend otherwise.” he murmurs and the only reason Byleth hears him is because of how close she is sitting to him. 

“I apologize if they’re too rowdy or loud for you.” Edelgard whispers to Byleth who had been quietly watching the group. 

“I’m not used to things being so lively.” she admits. “But I don’t dislike it.” 

Edelgard smiles at her. 

“Neither do I.” she takes a bite of her meal before focusing again on the mercenary. “I’m usually too busy to join them when they have dinner, but after our meeting I was able to finish my tasks quickly.” she chuckles. “Listening to them just talking about silly things makes me forget about all my responsibilities and concerns.” 

This makes Byleth stare at her. 

“I think that’s a good thing.” she says. “Everyone needs friends. And from what I’ve seen, yours are some really good ones, Edelgard.” she whispers this to the Emperor who is momentarily surprised at the familiar tone Byleth uses with her. 

Yet instead of scolding or admonishing her for what she did, the Emperor instead nods and gives her a bright smile. 

“Uhhhhh.” they both hear Dorothea snicker. “I wonder what it is the Professor said that made Edie smile so brightly.” 

“Dorothea!” Edelgard complains with a soft blush. “The Professor didn’t say anything.” 

“Okay…” the brunette lets it go but still gives them her familiar smirk. “Just know that I’m watching you two.” 

“Dorothea always likes to joke like that.” Petra says after grabbing the brunette’s hand. “Do not mind her.” 

“Yeaaaah! She likes to do that but then when Petra does something she immediately blushes and starts stuttering.” Caspar adds with a laugh. 

“I… I don’t do that!” Dorothea says embarrassed to everyone’s amusement. 

“It’s nice to see the tables turn on you, Dorothea.” Edelgard chuckles. “Petra, make sure you keep her in line.” 

“I will do my best.” Petra promises solemnly which only makes them all laugh even more. 

Even Byleth found herself smiling, which was surprising to her. 

“I like when we can all be together and do this.” Bernadetta says with a smile and everyone, including Hubert, nods. 

“When I left Garreg Mach, I was expecting to do so alone.” Edelgard admits. “The last thing I had expected was to have you join me on my crusade.” she smiles softly. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m happy I was wrong.” 

“We know what you are trying to achieve.” Petra says softly. “And we believe in you. Of course we would join you.” 

“We’ve seen too much to remain silent.” Ferdinand exclaims. “It’s a noble’s duty to do what is best for their people. Us doing this is what’s best.” 

“I’m no noble.” Dorothea smiles. “I have no power or claim in terms of territories and such. But I believe in you, Edie. And I want to be there for you.” 

“You know me, Edelgard. You know that I do things for myself. That it’s difficult for me to change and do better.” Linhardt says. “But Caspar wanted to join you. And wherever Caspar goes, so do I.” 

“Lin!” Caspar exclaims and hugs him, making the green-haired bishop blush. “When you left, I felt that I needed to join you because I know who you’re fighting for: You’re fighting for the same people I want to fight for.” he says to Edelgard.

“I wouldn’t be the person I am today without our talks.” Bernadetta tells the Emperor. “How would I not help you when you needed me?” 

“Everyone…” Edelgard whispers. “I… Thank you.” 

Because she was sitting so close to the Emperor, it’s only Byleth the one that sees how hard the woman was squeezing her own hands. 

Had she been scared of what her friends could have said? 

And if so, why was it that Edelgard doubted herself and the feelings her friends had for her? 

Byleth, yet again, was finding herself more interested in the enigma that was the woman sitting next to her. 

This wasn’t like her at all. 


	7. A Night of Shared Secrets and a Surprise Visit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Feeling uncomfortable all of a sudden while in the presence of the Black Eagles, Byleth starts wondering if her life choices had been good ones. That, plus another dream encounter with the green-haired girl, confuses the mercenary who is on night watch at the Emperor's room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter! And, because the next weeks will be very busy for me, I will go back to updating once a week, with updates scheduled for Sundays. Rather than run out of content and keep you indefinitely waiting, I'm choosing to slow down the updates and keep a consistent schedule. 
> 
> Thank you all for the support, comments and kudos! They really mean a lot :)

After finishing dinner, Byleth had returned to her room, wanting to give Edelgard and the other Black Eagles some space to talk to each other without her being around. She wasn’t sure why she had felt out of place at some point during the night; but the feeling of not truly belonging had hit her hard enough to make her finish her meal and excuse herself to the curious stares of everyone. 

Like she had told the Black Eagles, she had always been a mercenary. And before that, she had lived at the monastery where no one really knew her. At first, she had found it strange that Rhea kept her hidden and away from the rest of people, believing the lies the monster told her. 

It was later, when she was running across the forest with her father, that she realized how terrifying the woman truly was. 

_“No one can know you’re here, Satet.”_ she had told her each time she asked why she couldn’t go outside. 

_“There are bad people out there that want to take you away from me. And losing you would break my heart.”_

_“Then I’ll never leave.”_ a small Byleth had said foolishly as she went to console the woman with green hair and a sinister smile on her face. 

Gasping, Byleth opens her eyes and finds herself standing in front of her room’s mirror, her reflection showing panicked eyes staring back at her. 

Her life up until she left the monastery had been a lie, filled with deceit and fear. The woman she had thought loved her had not even been human at all, the harsh reality of her intentions with Byleth partly revealed when her father rescued and helped her escape Garreg Mach. 

The fear and despair she had felt that night… 

Byleth vowed that night, after crying for the man she never got to know, that she would never feel that way again. 

“It has been years since I’ve thought so much about that woman.” she whispers to herself. “So why is it that now every time I close my eyes I see her face?” she adds bitterly. 

Stepping away and turning towards the door that connected her room to Edelgard’s, Byleth wonders if she had given the white-haired woman enough time to fall asleep. It had been a couple of hours since she had heard Edelgard come in and start scuffling around, probably preparing for bed. 

“Guess I’ll have to go in and find out.” she says and opens the door, carefully making her way inside the dark room. 

Unlike the previous night where she had found Edelgard moving and thrashing in her bed, Byleth sees that this time the woman is placidly resting, her eyes closed and her breathing relaxed. Going past her, she sits down in the same chair she had used for dinner the previous night, the mercenary ready to spend the night in silent watch.

…………………………………..

……………………………

…………………. 

“You’re finally back!” she hears the green-haired girl exclaim and this makes Byleth open her eyes and look around her. 

The girl was right, she was back in the same familiar emptiness. 

She was dreaming. 

“Why did you keep me waiting for so long? Don’t you ever sleep?” she barrels her with questions and Byleth is momentarily confused. 

“You know this is a dream?” she asks, surprised. 

“Of course I do! Though I have no idea why you would imagine us in such a dark and empty place.” she scolds her. “Without anything around, all I do is sleep.” 

“I’m sorry?” Byleth doesn’t know what else to say. “Though I am quite worried that a girl that I only see in my dreams is telling me that she’s aware she’s in a dream.” 

This makes the girl think for a moment. 

“I can’t explain how I know this, but I know that we are in your subconscious and that I am somehow able to talk to you.” 

“Does that mean that you’re real? That you exist?” 

“Of course I exist! I’m just as real as you are.” the girl exclaims. “I think…” 

“Then what’s your name?” 

“I…” she moves from side to side. “I don’t remember.” she admits. 

“I see.” Byleth murmurs. 

“That doesn’t mean that I don’t exist.” she murmurs dejectedly. 

“No it doesn’t.” she gives her an encouraging smile. “That just means we have to do a better job at finding out who you are.” 

“Really?” the girl gives her a hopeful smile. “You’ll really do that for me?” 

“Of course!” she promises and before she can add something else she feels something tugging at her, as if pulling her away. 

The girl looks up. 

“It seems like you’re going to wake up.” she gives her a sad smile. 

“I’ll keep my promise!” Byleth screams as she’s being pulled up and away. “So you better be here when I come back!” 

…………………………………..

……………………………

…………………. 

Heaving, the bluenette jumps up from the chair, momentarily confused at where she was and what was happening. 

_I’m in Edelgard’s room keeping watch, just calm down._

“Help! Please! Don’t… Don’t hurt me. Stop. Just… I can’t anymore.” 

Staring at Edelgard’s bed, she sees that the white-haired woman is moaning and kicking, the nightmare she was experiencing way more intense than the one she had last night. 

_It’s even worse than last night…_ Byleth thinks sadly and tries the same approach of the previous night, grabbing Edelgard’s hand and whispering soothing words to calm her down. 

Yet unlike last time where Edelgard didn’t wake up when she took her hand, this time the Emperor opened her eyes in complete fear, the adrenaline of the nightmare and the darkness of the room making the woman reach for a dagger and try to stab Byleth. 

“Your Majesty.” she tries to calm the woman but can see her words are not reaching her. “Edelgard!” she raises her voice a little and this makes the Emperor stop, her hand dropping the knife the moment she realizes she had it. 

“Byleth.” Edelgard whispers and takes a look at the scene, realizing what had happened. “I…” she closes her eyes. “I didn’t mean to…” she stutters, still dazed from the nightmare. “I’m sorry.” 

“It’s okay, you didn’t attack me.” Byleth tries to soothe her. 

“But I had every intention to!” she moves away. “I could have killed you!” 

“But you didn’t.” she wants to get closer but knows that may not be the best course of action. “I…” she chooses to be honest. “It was my fault for trying to grab your hand.” 

This makes Edelgard stare at her, her eyes moving between Byleth and her hands. 

“Did you see anything?” she asks her softly. “When you grabbed my hand?” she clarifies. 

Byleth moves her head from side to side. She had been worried about Edelgard and had been only focused on helping her. 

“Then can I ask you to turn around for a moment?” Edelgard whispers and Byleth does immediately as told, knowing there was something else going on. 

After hearing a soft scuffle and a drawer opening, Byleth turns back to look at Edelgard who had turned on the light and was now wearing her gloves. She had asked Byleth if she had seen her hands because there was something in them that she didn’t want her to see.

“I feel that I owe you an explanation, Byleth.” Edelgard says as she sits on her mattress. “About what just happened.” 

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to.” the mercenary offers. 

“That is kind of you.” the white-haired woman gives her a sad smile. “But if you’ll continue keeping watch in my room, it would be better for you to know in case something like this happens again.” 

Byleth nods. 

“I have nightmares every night.” Edelgard confesses. “Ever since I was a child, I’ve had horrible dreams where I see my family dying or I see my friends getting killed by the Church or Faerghus. In all of them I am helplessly watching the people I love get taken away from me. And no matter how hard I prepare, how much I train, how strong and confident I feel when I’m awake; in my dreams it’s as if I’m 10 years old again.” 

Byleth carefully watched Edelgard close her eyes, almost as if she was questioning herself and her honesty. The mercenary knew she wasn’t the best when it came to emotions and showing others she cared, but she wanted to make Edelgard see that she appreciated her doing so. 

And the only way she knew how to do that was by returning the favor. 

“Lately I’ve also been having strange dreams.” Byleth decides to open up, wanting to show Edelgard that just as she was willing to let her in, so would she. “I am always in this empty, dark room. And no matter how far I walk or how much I scream, there is no one there to answer me. I’m just there, all by myself, without anything to make me want to move forward or backwards.” she chuckles bitterly. “I didn’t understand why that dream worried me so much, but lately I’ve started wondering if that room is a reflection of my life.” 

“What do you mean?” the Emperor asks. 

“I’ve chosen to live a lonely life. I have no friends, no family, nothing to keep me tied to a place.” she tells her simply. “That dark, empty room, perhaps it’s a reflection of myself: An empty person without any type of goal or motivation.” 

“I don’t think you’re an empty person.” Edelgard tells her. “Just because you still haven’t found your reason for being, that doesn’t mean you don’t have one. Is that why you left the dining room when we started talking about our school days?” 

This makes Byleth look up at the woman, surprised by her intuition. 

“Listening to all of you talk about your time in school made me realize I never had that.” she looks down. “I don’t know why it upset me, to be honest. I usually don’t care about things like this.” she says honestly. 

“And there’s nothing wrong about feeling that way. Your feelings are your own and you should never feel bad about being able to feel.” Edelgard is firm while saying this. 

“But it’s so silly.” Byleth laughs bitterly. “Me, feeling this way about something that I had no part of.” 

“If it made you feel something then it wasn’t silly. Not to you.” 

“I…” the mercenary looks at the woman who was now consoling her when it had started with her wanting to do the same for her. 

She couldn’t help but laugh at the irony. 

And apparently she had laughed loudly based on the surprised look Edelgard was giving her. 

“I just found it funny that I had wanted to be the one to help you feel better. Turns out it was the opposite.” she explains and feels herself blushing a little. 

Edelgard smiles at her. 

“Talking to you about this, seeing you open yourself up to me a little, it made me feel better about my dreams.” she admits. “To be quite honest, when I wake up from a nightmare, I’m never able to go back to sleep, the nightmare still fresh in my mind. But now that I talked to you, and got the chance to hear a little about you…” she yawns. “It actually made me feel sleepy again.” 

“Was what I talked about that boring?” she deadpans and can see how this makes Edelgard worry. 

“No, I meant it like… I… I was just…” she stutters to Byleth’s amusement. 

“I was kidding, Your Majesty.” Byleth smiles while getting a little closer to Edelgard who watches her. “Will you try to go to sleep?” 

“I want to.” she admits. “I… I guess I’m scared I’ll be woken up by another bad dream.” 

“Then I’ll tell you what: If I see like you’re having a nightmare, I’ll wake you up and talk to you again.” 

“But you also have to sleep!” 

“I won’t sleep while I’m keeping watch.” Byleth reminds her. “Besides, I may use the time to work on designing my new sword and armor.” she smirks. “You didn’t think I was going to forget about that, were you Your Majesty?” 

“A deal is a deal.” Edelgard chuckles. “Just let Hubert know when you have chosen a design and he’ll make sure you get your new toys.” she jokes a little. “Though I feel I also got something out of our deal.” 

“What do you mean?” Byleth asks. 

“I got to learn more about you.” Edelgard tells her honestly and this statement makes the mercenary blush. 

Just why was it that hearing that embarrassed her so? 

“Will it really be okay if you have to wake me up again?” Edelgard hesitates. 

“I promise it will be, Your Majesty.” Byleth reiterates. “I’ll be here if you need me.” she adds and she can see how those words make Edelgard’s hesitation disappear. 

“Then I’ll take you up on your word.” she nods and heads back to her bed, this time leaving her gloves on. “Oh, I forgot to blow out the candle.” 

“I can do that.” Byleth says and moves towards the desk where the candle is, giving Edelgard one last look. 

“Goodnight, Edelgard.” she whispers and yet again these words seem to affect the woman more than expected. 

“Goodnight, Byleth.” she says back as the mercenary blows the candles out. 

And, had Byleth been paying closer attention to Edelgard, she would have seen the Emperor tear up a little at her gesture. Later, Byleth will learn that no one had said goodnight to Edelgard since her family passed away when she was ten years old. 

Edelgard was now 20 years old. 

* * *

When Edelgard saw Byleth leave the dining room, she wondered if it had been because of something that had been said at the table. Yet nothing of what they discussed had sounded weird or offensive to the Emperor. In fact, the conversation had been mostly focused on their time at Garreg Mach, with Dorothea and Caspar telling funny anecdotes of their time as students there. 

_Whatever it was, it upset Byleth, that much was clear._

Wanting to ask the mercenary what had upset her so, Edelgard almost stood up herself to follow her. It was only years of practice that made her stay still and rethink her next step. Putting herself in Byleth’s shoes, she disliked when people tried to ask too many questions about her past or when they tried too hard to make her open up or be vulnerable in front of her. 

And from what she had seen of Byleth, it seemed like the bluenette woman was very similar to her in that regard. 

“Then the best thing to do will be to wait for the right opportunity to bring the topic up.” she whispers to herself as she continues listening to her friends talk. 

“Your Majesty.” she feels Hubert standing next to her. “I’m afraid we have to leave for that last meeting we have scheduled.” 

“But it’s night already!” Dorothea pouts. “What kind of person are you even meeting at this time Edie?” 

“Someone important.” she admits to them. “That’s the only reason why I even agreed to have the meeting at this time.” 

“Okay. We just want to make sure you are taking care of yourself and not working too hard.” Petra smiles at her. 

“I promise it will be a short talk.” Edelgard says thankful. “After that, I’ll be going straight to bed.” 

“Good. We have practice tomorrow and I want everyone to be ready for it!” Caspar exclaims. “The Professor beat us all today.” he murmurs. “But that just showed me how much extra work I have to put in.” 

“Indeed.” Ferdinand chuckles. “I did swear on my honor that I would improve my skills so that I can defeat you, Edelgard.” 

“There we go again with that.” Edelgard huffs. “All I want is for us to get better at fighting so we are safer.” 

“I like safe.” Bernadetta adds. “Safe is good.” 

“I agree with Bernadetta.” Linhardt puts his own grain of salt. “The less injuries, the less work for me.” 

“Your ability to refuse to work hard is astounding.” Hubert says darkly. “You’re already talented, think how further your skills would go if you invested your time in training.” 

“I invest my time in the things that I like.” the bishop tells him simply. “Edelgard knew right from the start that this is the person I am and she still chose me.” 

“I did.” Edelgard says. “And I don’t regret my choice.” 

“I…” Linhardt blushes. “I thank you.” 

“You made Lin blush!” Caspar hugs him. “How cute!” 

“Yeah, yeah, really cute.” Ferdinand groans. 

“Just because you’re jealous of them that doesn’t mean it isn’t cute.” Dorothea teases him again. 

“I think I know where this is going…” Edelgard starts saying. “And I will bid you goodnight before I become too invested.” she smiles. “See you all tomorrow.” 

“See you!” they respond and both Edelgard and Hubert make their way out of the dining room, the two nobles heading directly towards the Dark Bishop’s room. 

The moment they arrive, they see a familiar white-haired woman who was taking a sip of tea and had plenty of cakes and sweets lying in front of her. 

“Of course I would find you eating sweets, Lysithea.” Edelgard says happily at the sight of her dear friend. 

“Edie!” Lysithea stands up and goes to hug the Emperor, who returns the gesture warmly. 

“It is great to see you.” Edelgard tells her honestly. “I hope you have been doing well at the Alliance.” 

“No complaints.” she huffs. “Of course, it isn’t the same as being here.” she admits. “But I know you need me there.” 

“And I really appreciate it.” she squeezes her hand before taking a seat in front of her. “Especially after Hubert shared with me the news Hilda’s spies uncovered.” 

“I knew you would be busy during the day yet it was important enough to ask Hubert to come see me.” Lysithea explains. “Rather than just surprise you and blow my cover, I knew he would provide the right time and opportunity for us to talk.” 

“We appreciate your secrecy, Lysithea.” Hubert tells her and pours the two women more tea. “And I repeated to Her Majesty what you told me. Yet I sensed that there was more you wanted to add.” 

Lysithea nods. 

“More like my personal suspicions on the matter.” 

“Meaning?” Edelgard asks. 

“About what Claude is thinking and could try to do.” 

“Well, from what he said, it seems as if he wants me to be the first one to ask for a meeting.” Edelgard muses. “That way he can claim he’s still neutral and it’s me seeking him out.” 

“It seems that his priority is to stay neutral for as long as he can.” Hubert adds. 

Lysithea nods. 

“He’s not ready.” she tells them simply. “And he’s facing opposition from within the Alliance: Nobles that aren’t happy with him being elected as Duke Oswald’s successor.” 

“So he’s not completely irrational.” Edelgard muses. ‘He’s just not prepared to take a stance.” 

Lysithea nods. 

“What about Dimitri and Faerghus?” she asks them. “Have you heard anything from her yet?” 

Edelgard shakes her head. 

“Knowing her, she must be waiting until it’s safe to reach out to us.” she tells Lysithea. “Based on the rumors going on about Dimitri, she must be exercising extra caution.” 

“You’ve heard those too.” the younger woman mutters. “The Boar…” she looks up at Edelgard. “Have you seen him in battle?” 

“We haven’t met on the battlefield yet.” she tells him. “But the few survivors that have seen him all say the same thing: That when he fights, he is no longer human. He becomes a beast, an animal. Like a boar, that just hunts and kills its prey.” Edelgard says somberly and this makes them all give each other concerning looks. 

“And the church?” 

“All we know is that Rhea is aiding Dimitri by letting him take the Knights of Seiros to some of our battles as well as have Kingdom troops stationed at Garreg Mach.” Hubert tells her. “After we escaped Garreg Mach, we’ve been trying to gain control of the monastery so that we could enter Faerghus from two fronts.” 

“But we’ve been on a stalemate ever since the war started.” Edelgard groans. “Our forces are equally balanced and all we seem to do is take and then lose territory.” 

“Which is why you went ahead and asked to meet with some nobles from the Alliance.” Lysithea says. “That way they would let your troops in and you could launch that double attack against Faerghus or Garreg Mach.” 

Edelgard nods. 

“But what Dimitri said worries me.” she admits. “Is he bluffing or did he really find a way to enter the city?” she looks at Hubert. “The fact that we have a mole in our midst also does not ease my worries.” 

“A mole?!” the younger woman asks shocked. “How did you discover it?” 

“Our return route was given to assassins that ambushed us on our way back from the Leicester border.” Hubert tells her. “No one apart from the nobles we talked to and some Imperial generals knew the route.” 

This makes Lysithea think of what she was just told, what this could mean for the Empire as well as their plans to expand. 

“I need to ask you something and I need you to be honest with me, Lysithea.” Edelgard tells her seriously. 

Lysithea nods, already suspecting what her friend would ask her. 

“Do you think Claude will be a problem?” she asks her. “I would prefer to reach a peaceful resolution to our conflict…” she admits. “But I can’t wait for longer, not when there could be the possibility of Dimitri reaching Enbarr.” 

“I understand.” she says softly. “And before today’s news I would have said that I didn’t see Claude determined enough to make a decision. But with the news we just got…” she stares at Edelgard. “He knows something else is at hand. He suspects there is more to this war than just the Church abusing its powers. That they’re not the only players here.” 

This makes Hubert and Edelgard stare knowingly at each other. 

“Claude has always been smart.” Edelgard murmurs. “Do you think that if we told him what we’re facing he would support us?” 

“I think so.” Lysithea says. “With Claude, you can’t really know until you actually do it.” she reminds them. “Or if he won’t get directly involved, at least he will let you take your troops into Leicester.” 

“That would be advantageous for us.” Hubert adds. 

“Then that will be our next plan of action.” Edelgard determines. “Lysithea, I want you to return to Derdriu and tell Claude that we want to meet with him at the border. We can’t risk traveling all the way into Leicester but I’m sure we can find a place beneficial for both of us.”

“Perhaps somewhere in the County of Gloucester.” Hubert proposes. “It’s close enough to the border with the Empire as well as Derdriu.” 

Lysithea nods in agreement. 

“There’s a village there called Sauin. One of the Golden Deer, Leonie, is from that village. That will help us in finding a secretive place for the meeting.” 

“Then it’s settled.” Edelgard smiles and then stands up. “Please Lysithea, stay the night and join me for breakfast tomorrow morning before you depart. Now that we have this talk out of the way, we will really have the chance to catch up.” 

“I would love that.” Lysithea admits. “I miss you all.” 

“We miss you too.” Edelgard grabs her hands. “And I can’t thank you enough for the sacrifice you’re doing for me. Without you, none of what we’ve achieved would have been possible.” 

“I will always support you Edelgard because I believe what you’re doing is right.” Lysithea vows. “And I’ll do whatever it takes to ensure your victory.” 

“I will not fail you.” the Emperor promises. 

“Your Majesty.” Hubert gets close to her. “If your absence goes on for longer people may start suspecting something is amiss.” 

“You’re right.” Lysithea agrees. “Tomorrow I can get Hubert to warp me to your room so we can catch up.” she promises and hugs her tight. “See you tomorrow.” 

“See you Lysithea.” she hugs the woman back and steps out of Hubert’s room, followed by the Dark Bishop who was silently escorting her back to her room. 

“Please make sure Lysithea gets everything that she needs.” she asks the man. “After Flowa is done attending me I will ask her to aid Lysithea.” 

“Understood. She’ll be staying in her room.” he smiles at her. “Have a good rest, Your Majesty.” 

“Thank you Hubert.” Edelgard nods and watches her guards open the door to her bedroom, Flowa already waiting for her. 

“Your Majesty.” Flowa bows and gets close so she can help her take her armor off. “I hope you had a good day today.” 

“I did.” Edelgard smiles softly as she watches Flowa take her armor off. “Also, after you’re done helping me, Lysithea came to spend the night and she may need some help. Can I count on you to help her?” 

“Of course Your Majesty.” she smiles. “It will be nice to converse with Lady Lysithea. I’m assuming she will be having breakfast with you before her departure?” 

“Correct.” she smiles. “And you know Lysithea… We’ll need plenty of sweets.”


	8. Experiencing Feelings and A New Mission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following her conversation with Edelgard, Byleth starts to feel the pressure of training the Black Eagles and being the Emperor's protector. Not only is the dislike of the Adrestian nobles and commoners obvious, but so is the fact that Edelgard is hiding something from her.   
> Byleth is determined to find out what it is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter! Thank you for following this story and the kudos! I know I say this all the time, but it really means a lot :)

After watching the Emperor fall back asleep, Byleth had been relieved that Edelgard didn’t have a nightmare for the rest of the night. Not that she was afraid of the woman because of what happened earlier; she was just relieved Edelgard would be able to get some rest. 

Yet hearing Edelgard talk about her nightmares, about her seeing her family and friends getting murdered and tortured every single night… 

She couldn’t imagine the pain that must cause the Emperor. 

And it also made her wonder about Edelgard’s past. Like she had said, the odds of her whole family passing away and making her the Emperor were so small that it would be foolish to think that no foul play had been involved. But if it was, why did everyone, even Edelgard herself, act as if that wasn’t the case? 

The terror and anguish on her eyes was impossible to fake, which meant that Edelgard had nothing to do with their deaths. 

It had been someone else. Someone that had power and access to the Royal Family during that time. 

Groaning, Byleth scolds herself and her lack of interest in politics. She didn’t know anything about the history of Fodlan’s royal families and before accepting Edelgard’s job offer she hadn’t cared. But based on the mysterious circumstances surrounding the Adrestian Royal Family, the mercenary was sure that asking questions about them would only make her a target. 

Then again, that wasn’t the only thing on her mind at the moment. Although her main job was to train the Black Eagles and help them improve their skills, she was also working with Randolph and his soldiers in techniques and maneuvers to prevent assassins from entering the palace. There was also the fact that Byleth still hadn’t told Edelgard that someone had entered her room the other day when she was gone. She had tried to find some sort of evidence left behind by the intruder but unfortunately there hadn’t been anything conclusive. 

Which only made the list of things worrying her grow. 

Byleth also couldn’t forget that she also hadn’t found out any information or clue about the girl in her dreams. 

That one the mercenary knew would be a long shot because of how little she knew about the girl. Without a name or any kind of thing that could give her a clue about her, Byleth knew that finding any information about her was like finding a needle in a haystack. It also didn’t help that she hadn’t dreamed about her over the last couple of days. 

There was also more going on around the castle. Taking Dimitri’s possible threat to heart, Edelgard had ordered her army to start preparing, with the blacksmiths of Enbarr building armors and weapons in extreme quantities. Soldiers were training around every corner and the more experienced ones had been sent to the borders of Faerghus to keep watch. 

Not only that, but Hubert had tasked Byleth had with exploring the castle in hopes of finding secret or hidden passages that someone could use to break in. And, while she was far from done, nothing had come up in regards to that. 

Yet she couldn’t blame Edelgard for acting carefully. Not only did she have to act as if nothing was going on, she also had to continue investigating the possible mole and making sure her actions wouldn’t be interpreted outside of how she would normally act. 

Byleth couldn’t imagine how all of this must be affecting Edelgard. 

But it had to be enough for her to miss training this morning, saying she had too much paperwork to finish and plans to look at. The rest of the Black Eagles had given Hubert some knowing looks before they turned around to continue their own training, all choosing to focus on Byleth and what she was teaching them. 

“You have to check on her, Professor.” Dorothea had told her the moment they were done with class. “We know how Edie is and for her to miss training… She must be very concerned about something.” 

Right, Edelgard and Hubert had chosen to wait until they had a plan of action before telling the rest of the Black Eagles about the spy’s information. It wasn’t because they didn’t trust their classmates. On the contrary, it was because they knew how loyal they were that they needed to withhold the information. 

“If I were to tell them, then they would surely want to take some action that will reveal our intentions to the enemy.” Edelgard had told her with a smile. “And we can’t do that just yet. We need time to make sure we are ready and have some sort of plan before we get the Black Eagles involved.” 

And Byleth had agreed with her. Unlike Edelgard and Hubert, who were mature beyond their age and acted carefully around others, the remaining Black Eagles were a little more naive when it came to their intentions and desires. It was true that Petra and Dorothea were better at hiding their emotions, but it wouldn’t be fair for them to share their plans with some of the Black Eagles and keep things hidden from the rest. 

Hence, they had chosen to keep things secret until the right time came. 

Yet Dorothea was right. Byleth had barely seen Edelgard over the last five days. Well, apart from when the Emperor went to sleep and Byleth kept watch. But even then, Edelgard would keep things close to her chest and try to discuss simpler things. 

Until two nights ago when her nightmare shook her up. 

_ Flashback to Two Nights Ago _

“Edelgard.” she says softly to wake the woman up. 

Keeping the promise she had made to Edelgard, Byleth goes ahead and does her best to slowly wake the Emperor up. 

After that night when Edelgard tried to attack her, Byleth realized that the best way to wake the noble woman up was to talk to her and wait until she became aware of her surroundings. By keeping her distance from Edelgard, she also made sure the woman wouldn’t see her as a threat before she regained full consciousness. 

It took a little longer, but when Edelgard opened her eyes and took a look at her surroundings, she wasn’t as tense and as nervous as she had been that day Byleth grabbed her hand. 

“I… Thank you for waking me Byleth.” Edelgard says to the mercenary with a sad smile. 

“Was it the same dream again?” Byleth asks her. 

Edelgard nods. 

“It’s always the same dream, every night.” she closes her eyes. “Even though I’ve made it out of that horrible place, I’m still not free from it.”

This makes Byleth look at the woman, confused about what she had just said. What horrible place? Had Edelgard been captured by someone? Was this connected to the death of Edelgard’s family?

“I can protect myself when I’m awake. I can fight the monsters in front of me with my axe and my army.” she murmurs. “Yet when I fall asleep I can’t do anything.” she chuckles bitterly. “It’s so frustrating.” she stares at Byleth. “I’m sorry for just telling you these things.” 

“Don’t be.” Byleth tells her honestly. “If sharing things with me makes you feel better then I’ll always listen.” 

Edelgard smiles. 

“You’re too kind to me Byleth. I feel at times that I’m taking advantage of such kindness.” 

“You’re not!” she says immediately and is surprised by her sudden emotions. “You’re not taking advantage.” she clarifies. “This may be selfish of me to say, but I like these talks we have.” she admits and can feel herself blushing. 

Just what was it about Edelgard that made her blabber and share these things with her? 

“I like them too.” Edelgard admits. “With you, I can just be Edelgard. I don’t have to worry about my words or my actions because I know you will not interpret them in a bad way.” she smiles. “It’s actually very soothing.” 

This makes Byleth give her an honest smile. 

“It’s the same for me. People are scared of me and of the way I talk and act. Of me not showing my emotions or of keeping how I feel hidden.” she confides in the Emperor. “And I’ve never cared about it because in a way they’re right. I think I don’t feel things the same way others do.” 

“What do you mean?” Edelgard asks her curiously.

“I  _ do  _ feel things.” Byleth chuckles. “Perhaps not to the same extent others do, but I know I can feel. That I feel.” she closes her eyes. “It has just never been the way people have wanted me to.” 

“That’s their fault, not yours.” Edelgard says and this makes Byleth stare surprisingly at her. “People wanting you to be one way or the other because it’s what’s most comfortable for them…” she huffs. “You are your own person, Byleth. And no matter what others say of you, if you live your life authentically and honestly, then in my opinion, you’re doing your utmost best.” 

_ End of Flashback _

Hearing those reassuring words from Edelgard had immediately made Byleth feel better and was making her feel very foolish now. Here she was wondering about Edelgard and how she was feeling instead of actually going to see the woman herself and make sure she was well. 

Standing up and heading towards the throne room, Byleth can notice the way the staff and soldiers are staring at her, as if telling her with their gaze that she didn’t belong. Although it had been more than a week since she arrived at the castle, the fact that she wasn’t liked by the commoners hadn’t changed. 

Like she had told Edelgard, she didn’t care about what others thought of her. But what did upset her was that the people who were upset were part of a revolution that wanted to eliminate this type of discrimination.

Then again, Byleth had told the Emperor that it would be hard to make the nobles and commoners accept the changes and reforms she wanted to implement. 

Especially from the commoners side. 

The moment she arrives at the throne room, Byleth can see Edelgard sitting on the throne, a picture of composure and strength. There was something about seeing the Emperor like this; strong, powerful and dominating that made Byleth stop and stare. 

It wasn’t usual for her to feel such admiration and awe when it came to other people. In fact, that had been one of the main things the other mercenaries always told her: That she needed to find someone who made her want to just stay and watch. That made her take a pause to admire and wonder how it was that there could be someone like that in the world. To many of the mercenaries, that had been a deity, an enemy or a loved one. 

To Byleth, it was Emperor Edelgard von Hresvelg. 

“She’s beautiful.” she whispers and surprises herself by saying those words. 

Closing her eyes at the sensations that were coming from her chest, Byleth can’t stop herself from panicking at the strangeness of the situation: Just what was happening to her and why was she reacting this way whenever Edelgard was involved? 

“Professor?” she can hear Edelgard ask from her throne and this makes the mercenary refocus on what she had come to do. 

“Your Majesty.” she bows from afar and makes her way forward to where Edelgard and Hubert are.

_ “Who the hell does she think she is to approach our Queen so casually.”  _ she can hear a soldier murmur from behind her. 

_ “The nerve of this commoner.”  _

_ “If only I could teach her a lesson.”  _

Ignoring them and continuing her way to where the Emperor and noble were now waiting for her, she watches the way Edelgard is reacting to the many murmurs and whispers people were saying. 

“I apologize for interrupting.” she says solemnly as she feels everyone’s eyes on her. “But I was hoping I could have a private word with you?” 

The moment she says this the commotion that comes from those words gets even louder than the many whispers and bad mouthing that had happened before. 

Yet with just a raise of her hand, Edelgard makes it all become silent. 

“One thing I’ve always tried to do as Emperor is to listen to the requests of my people no matter their background.” Edelgard says seriously. “It’s disappointing to see that  _ my  _ people are not as willing to extend the same courtesy.” she adds darkly and this makes everyone in the room look down. 

Edelgard stops looking at them and turns to focus on Byleth, who had watched the exchange fascinated. 

“My Professor.” she tells her with a kind smile. “Of course we may talk.” she stands up from her throne and starts making her way down, Hubert following close-by. 

“Hubert.” Edelgard adds as she gets close to her right hand so only he can hear her. “I want you to take this time to confirm our plans and make sure we are ready for our departure.” 

Hubert stares at her, knowing what his Emperor was going to do. 

She was going to tell Byleth everything about their meeting with Lysithea. 

“Of course.” he bows and gives Byleth one knowing look before heading out. 

“Now then…” Edelgard smiles at her and this makes the mercenary blush. “Should we go somewhere private to have that talk?” 

Byleth nods and walks besides the Emperor as they head out of the throne room, no one daring to speak ill of her with Edelgard standing next to her. The mercenary was so used to others just looking the other way when she was treated like this so to see the Emperor take offense and actually defend her...

It made Byleth feel happy. 

“You’re smiling.” Edelgard says to her and Byleth nods. 

“What you just did. Defend me.” she explains. “It made me happy.” 

Edelgard blushes at this. 

“Of course I was going to say something! The way they were talking about you!” she closes her eyes. “I know Flowa and you warned me about this… I just wasn’t expecting them to be so outspoken about it.” 

Byleth shrugs. 

“They know you won’t execute them for saying what they think.” she chuckles. “Which is good because they feel they can say what they think.” 

“Not when it diminishes others.” Edelgard murmurs. “Implementing the reforms I want will be harder than expected if the people at my palace don’t follow them.”

“Difficult but not impossible.” Byleth agrees. “And from what I’ve gotten to know about you, Your Majesty, you’re not a quitter.” 

“No I’m not.” Edelgard chuckles as they arrive at Edelgard's room, the guards outside keeping watch bowing and opening the door for them to go in. “Please, take a seat.” 

Nodding, Byleth does as told, watching Edelgard do the same and sit in front of her. 

What came after was a comfortable silence where the two just stared at one another, waiting for either to say what had made them want to talk to one another. 

“I…” both say at the same time and this makes Edelgard chuckle and Byleth blush. 

“You can go first, Byleth.” 

Byleth takes a deep breath. 

“You missed training today so I was worried.” she admits softly. “I know you’re very busy and that you have many responsibilities, Your Majesty, but I also wanted to make sure you were taking care of yourself.” 

The moment she finishes saying that, Byleth sees the biggest and brightest smile Edelgard had ever given her. 

A sight that yet again made her feel butterflies on her stomach. 

But this time she wasn’t uncomfortable by the sensation. 

“I apologize for missing training.” Edelgard states. “And for worrying you, Byleth.” she looks at her gloved hands. “It’s true that there are times in which I get too engrossed in my work and I lose myself. I’ve done so since I can remember.” she chuckles. “But I promise you that I’ve been making sure I eat and rest plenty.” 

“I’m glad to hear that.” she says honestly. “I guess I just got a little worried…” she bows once. “I apologize for interrupting you for no reason.” 

“Byleth.” Edelgard grabs her hand and this makes the mercenary stop talking. “You didn’t interrupt me or anything of the sort. In fact, I wanted to speak to you too.” 

“Oh.” she says and feels herself blushing in embarrassment. 

“It has to do with why I’ve been absent from training sessions and occupied with Hubert.” she adds and this makes Byleth focus on what the Emperor was telling her. “Do you remember when you asked us about our spy in Leicester and why they came to Enbarr?” 

Byleth nods. 

“This spy is not necessarily a spy.” she admits to Byleth. “She was one of my classmates at the Academy who is also part of the Golden Deer; the students from Garreg Mach who live in the Leicester Alliance.” she explains. “When she asked to join the Black Eagles, a couple of months after I declared war against the Church, the leader of the Golden Deer and I met to discuss this. Though when we met I was the Emperor of Adrestia and he was the leader of the Leicester Alliance.” 

“Claude von Riegan.” Byleth knows who he is. Had heard stories about the man and how talented he was with a bow. 

“Yes. Out of Dimitri, Claude and I; Claude was always the more level-headed and willing to discuss things.” Edelgard admits. “So when we met, we agreed to have a spy that would allow us to share and exchange information between each other.” 

“Not that I don’t trust what you’re telling me.” Byleth says. “But wouldn’t this spy be compromised? How do you know the information she’s sharing is true and to the best of your interests and not von Riegan?” 

“Because she’s loyal to me.” Edelgard smiles. “She will always put my interests first. Claude knows this as well.” 

“So he makes sure he keeps things hidden from her as much as he can.” 

Edelgard nods. 

“Which hasn’t been a bother to us because Claude is staying out of the war.” she tells her. “But I’m sure his own spies have discovered that I was in talks with some of the Alliance nobles.”

“And is it a problem that he’s aware of your intentions?” 

“Before we discovered Dimitri’s plan of invading Enbarr in four months it would have been.” Edelgard says seriously. “But with this new intel, and the promise of more information from our side about Faerghus and the Church of Seiros, Claude has agreed to hold a summit where we will meet to discuss the war.” 

“That sounds promising.” Byleth tells her. 

“Indeed. But to make sure Claude can remain neutral, and to not alert our enemies of our talk, we will be meeting near the border. At a village called Sauin.” 

The moment Edelgard mentions that name she can see the way Byleth reacts. It is not obvious. In fact, if she hadn’t been paying close attention to the mercenary, she would have missed the way her eyes flinched in recognition. 

Byleth knew what village she was talking about. 

“We were hoping to leave tomorrow by sundown so no one would be aware of our trip.” she continues. “And as my personal guard, I want you to come with me.” 

“Wherever you go, there I will be.” Byleth promises her. 

“That’s good to hear.” Edelgard tells her with a smile. “With the mole and the possible attack on Enbarr, I want to act on the side of caution. Hence, I will take a small force with some members of the Strike Force and that’s it. No soldiers of any sort.” 

“But some will be at the borders if we need to return to Enbarr.” Byleth surmises. 

“Yes. And I’m sure Claude will have his own soldiers on standby in case negotiations fail.” 

“I will protect you with all I have.” 

“I know Byleth.” Edelgard tells her warmly. “Of that I have no doubt.” she stands up and turns to her desk. “With that being said.” she chuckles. “I do need to finish some stuff before we can depart.” 

Understanding that Edelgard wanted some alone time, Byleth stands up and bows, heading towards the door to prepare herself for the trip. 

“Also… Ever since we knew of the possibility of this trip, I asked Hubert to rush our blacksmith in preparing your armor and sword.” she smiles. “Talk to him to see if he has any updates for you?” she teases her and this makes Byleth blush and nod. 

“Thank you Your Majesty.” she bows again. 

“A deal is a deal, Byleth.” she smiles. “I’ll see you tonight.” 

_ Because I will probably have nightmares and you’ll have to wake me up…  _ is left unsaid but Byleth can almost hear the Emperor say those words. 

_ I hope not…  _ Byleth thinks as she leaves Edelgard’s room and heads towards the armory. 

_ Because if you do you’ll ask me about Sauin and I don’t know how to answer that question. _


	9. Sauin Village

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As they're on their way to Sauin, both Byleth and Edelgard can't help but remember the conversation the two of them had the night before about Byleth's past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because I'm going to be very busy over the weekend, I decided to move my Sunday update to today. I may go ahead and schedule the next one for next Wednesday so that you don't have to wait for more than a week :)  
> As always, thank you for the support.

The closer they get to Sauin, the more Byleth wonders if her return to this small town meant something. Staring at the Emperor, who was calmly reading some treaties, the mercenary can’t stop herself from thinking of what this trip could mean to her. 

After having received her mission from Edelgard and gone to check on her new sword and armor, which she was now proudly wearing, Byleth had spent the rest of the evening thinking of what to say to the Emperor. She knew Edelgard was going to ask her about her connection to this town. And while it was nothing scandalous, it did mean that Byleth would have to talk about her past and her father. 

Which was something that she had wanted to avoid at all costs. 

Her father, Jeralt Eisner, had been well-known in both the mercenary and nobility world. Once a knight for the Kingdom of Faerghus, he rose in fame when he saved Rhea from a fatal blow intended for her, which made the Archbishop offer him a job with the Knights of Seiros. Following that promotion, he rose through the ranks and became Captain, earning also the nickname of the Blade Breaker and reaching fame all across Fodlan. Yet after she was born, he left Garreg Mach and became a mercenary that traveled across the land. Byleth at first had not understood why Jeralt abandoned her in Garreg Mach. And for a while, she resented the man for giving her up. She later discovered, thanks to one of Jeralt’s fellow mercenaries, that he had been told by the Archbishop that both his wife and child had died during childbirth. 

All so that Rhea could keep and raise her as she wanted to. 

Yet because Jeralt had friends and contacts inside Garreg Mach, there were some people who mentioned to him how they saw a girl with blue hair and blue eyes walking around the monastery with either Rhea or Seteth alongside her. 

Perhaps it had been nostalgia or emptiness that had made Jeralt secretly travel and infiltrate Garreg Mach; but when he saw her he knew right away that she was his child. 

And that Rhea had lied to him. 

It was at this point that Byleth had asked the mercenary that was telling her this story why her father had just accepted Rhea’s word. Why he hadn’t tried harder or done more. 

_“Because he trusted her with his life. He never told me why exactly, but he said he owed her a debt and that’s why he joined the Knights of Seiros.”_

Hence, Byleth had never learned the true reason Jeralt had been at Garreg Mach nor what his relationship with Rhea was like. His past as a Knight of Seiros had been left mostly unspoken, with his tales as a mercenary more known and told to her by this woman who had waited for them on the outskirts of Garreg Mach. When she saw Byleth alone, the older mercenary knew right away that Jeralt was not coming back. So what she did was help her, train her and teach her what she could before parting ways. 

_“Sauin was one of the places that your father loved visiting the most. Not only were they good and kind people, but they appreciated us because we helped save the village many years ago. I just feel bad for that little girl that was always waiting for him.”_

_“Little girl?”_ Byleth had asked her solemnly. 

_“Yeah. I don’t remember her name because she spent most of her time with Jeralt.”_ she had mused. _“But he liked her enough that he taught her some combat moves. Now that I know you, perhaps she reminded him of you and what could have been.”_

 _“Perhaps.”_ she had said and moved on, not wanting to linger on the memories of her deceased father. 

After that conversation, Byleth had chosen to accept things as they were and be grateful to the man who had risked his life in saving her from the monster. To live on in his memory and do all she could to never return to the monastery. 

To stay away from Rhea, Archbishop of the Church of Seiros. 

After separating from her father’s friend, Byleth had traveled all the way to Sauin to see the village personally. Perhaps it had been a little sentimental of her to do so, but she had wanted to give tribute to her father by visiting one of the places he helped save. Keeping her identity a secret, the mercenary had stayed in town for a couple of days, taking her time to explore and travel around the area. And, while there was nothing peculiar about Sauin, a lot of the village people mentioned her father in passing and how great it was to have such a knight be their hero. 

So while she didn’t gain much coin from the trip, she did get some peace of mind about her father’s life as a mercenary. That he had done good and had helped others. 

It wasn’t enough to make her completely forget her feelings of sadness at the thought of what her life would have been like if her father had raised her. But, it was enough to help her move forward. 

“Yet here I am thinking about him as I’m on my way to Sauin.” she chuckles bitterly. “The irony of it all.” 

This statement makes Edelgard look away from her reading and focus on Byleth, who was staring at the road ahead. Usually the bluenette woman did a good job of hiding her emotions from others. Yet after knowing her for more than a week, which was still not too long but with them spending most days together; Edelgard liked to think that she had an idea of what Byleth was thinking by just looking at her. 

And right now, the mercenary looked troubled. 

_Not that I blame her…_ she thinks as she remembers the talk they had the night before. 

_Flashback to Last Night_

After having dinner with the Black Eagles and discussing with Hubert the last details of their trip to Sauin, which included selecting two Black Eagles to join them on the trip, Edelgard had called it a night in hopes of getting some sleep. While she wasn’t very hopeful, she had to admit that having Byleth wake her up and then falling asleep afterwards was helping her feel better and actually sleep more. She felt more focused and less tired in the mornings and was able to do all her work faster and with fewer distractions. 

Edelgard had forgotten the wonders sleep could do. 

Yet she was also lying when she said she just wanted to head to bed. What she in fact, was hoping for, was to talk to Byleth. 

She knew the mercenary had recognized the name of the town they were heading to. Had seen it in the way her eyes flinched. But for whatever reason, Byleth had chosen to remain silent and nod, hoping she would give her a reprieve from having to answer that question. 

And Edelgard, doing something that was unusual for her to do, had chosen to wait until later to speak with Byleth about it. 

Hubert would scold her about this decision, claiming that this would give Byleth time to think of a lie or cover-up story. And he wasn’t wrong. This was something that the mercenary could do. 

Yet even knowing something like that could happen, Edelgard had nodded and told Byleth that they would see each other later tonight. 

Had it been foolish of her to do such a thing? Perhaps. But up until now, all Byleth had done was work and do her best to protect her. All things deserving of the Emperor’s trust. 

Taking a seat and pouring herself some tea, Edelgard hopes that Byleth doesn’t keep her waiting for long. Usually the mercenary waits for her to fall asleep before coming in, and she was truly thankful for that. But tonight she didn’t want Byleth to wait and to talk to her in the middle of the night, with her feeling scared and nervous. 

She needed to have this talk being herself. Being Emperor Edelgard von Hresvelg. 

Hearing some steps and then the adjacent door to Byleth’s room opening up, Edelgard gives the mercenary a warm smile when she watches her hesitantly make her way in, not familiar with the Emperor just waiting for her to enter the room. 

“This is different than usual.” Byleth admits as she waits between her room and Edelgard’s. “I feel I don’t know how to act.” 

Edelgard chuckles. 

“I’ve been waiting for you.” she admits and motions for her to step in. “For a moment I was worried you would keep waiting until I turned off the lights and went to bed but I’m glad to see that wasn’t the case.” 

“You could have called for me, Your Majesty.” Byleth tells her immediately. “I would have come right away.”

“I know. But I wanted you to have all the time you needed to sort your thoughts and feelings.” she tells her kindly. “Which in that case me telling you when to come in wouldn’t make much sense.” 

Byleth nods, staring at her with what Edelgard could interpret was surprise and curiosity. 

“Is what I just said to you that surprising?” 

The mercenary nods again. 

“I’m not used to people being so kind and understanding with me.” she admits. “Being a mercenary means that you do the job when people want you to, no questions or explanations at all. Nor would they care about my thoughts and feelings about the job.” she shrugs. 

Just how unfamiliar was Byleth with people showing kindness to her? 

“I care.” Edelgard says firmly. “I care about your thoughts and feelings.” 

Byleth stares at her, her statement making the mercenary give Edelgard a warm smile. 

“That means a lot to me, Your Majesty.” the bluenette woman says honestly. “I really am thankful to you and all you’ve done for me.” she chuckles. “Saving you that day was probably one of the best decisions I could have made.” 

“I feel the same.” she chooses to be honest. “Which is why I can’t help but want to ask you something personal, Byleth.” 

Byleth nods, probably already suspecting that this conversation was coming. 

“Earlier, when I told you we are traveling to Sauin, I saw you recognize the name of the village. Yet you chose to not mention it. Is that true?” 

She nods in confirmation. 

“I trust you truly meant it when you said you would do your utmost best to protect me. That I would be your priority. And because of that, I know that you not sharing your connection to Sauin does not have to do with me or any sort of thing that would endanger me, correct?” 

Byleth nods. 

“Yet I still feel I want to ask you. Not because I’m your Emperor but because I care about you, Byleth, and I can sense that the news of us traveling there have affected you.” Edelgard tells her kindly. “I want you to share with me what you’re feeling. But only if you want to.” 

Byleth remains silent for a couple of minutes, the hesitation and doubt clear in her eyes. 

“You truly are too kind to me, Your Majesty.” Byleth looks at her with a sad smile. “Which makes it harder for me to want to keep things from you.” she admits. 

Edelgard is ready to remind her that she has no obligation of telling her what is troubling her but Byleth beats her to it. 

“Remember when I told you I don’t have any family left?” she asks and Edelgard nods. “While that is the truth, I learned later in life that I had a father. A mercenary that had thought I was dead. Somehow, he found me and we reconnected for a short while.” she closes her eyes. “Shortly after we met, he died.” 

Edelgard stares at Byleth, noticing how uncomfortable the woman was telling her this. 

“I didn’t get to learn a lot about him and his life. But the one thing I did learn was that during his time as a mercenary, he helped a small village in the Leicester Alliance named Sauin. And, perhaps as a way to try to find some sort of connection with this stranger who was my father, I once traveled to Sauin.” 

“And did you find what you were looking for?” Edelgard asks her. 

Byleth shakes her head. 

“I found nothing that could help me try to understand the man my father was.” she smiles. “So when I heard you say that out of all places we would be going to Sauin…” she chuckles. “I couldn’t shake the feeling that these are my past’s ghosts trying to come back to haunt me.” 

_End of Flashback_

After Byleth had told her that, the mercenary had asked her if she could stop discussing her past. And Edelgard, who could see how uncomfortable the bluenette had felt, didn’t deny her request. 

But there were still so many more questions she had about what Byleth had told her. Just who had been her father and how had it been that he thought Byleth was dead? Byleth’s tale left her with more questions than answers and Edelgard’s curiosity was getting the best of her. 

Just who was Byleth and where had she been before they met on the outskirts of the Empire’s borders? 

“Your Majesty.” she hears Byleth say and this makes the Emperor refocus on her surroundings. “We are here.” she tells her solemnly and Edelgard nods, waiting with the mercenary for Hubert to come get them. 

When they hear the coded knock, Byleth steps out first, quickly scanning their surroundings and stretching her hand towards Edelgard’s once she deems it safe to come out. As the Emperor gets down from the small carriage and starts following the mercenary forward, she takes a moment to look at her surroundings and what seemed to be the border of Sauin. 

Like Hubert and Byleth had told her, there was nothing peculiar about the village, with modest looking houses and stables taking most of the town. But what she could notice right away was that there weren’t a lot of people around. 

Which in this case was very good news for them. 

Staying in the center of a circle formed by Hubert, Byleth, Linhardt and Petra, Edelgard makes her way to a house that was in the farthest part of the town. Staying alert and ready for anything, she only relaxes when she notices that outside the house was Lysithea, who also looked relieved the moment she made them out. 

“Your Majesty.” Lysithea says and bows once before nodding to the rest of her entourage. “It’s good to see you’ve made it to Sauin.” 

“It’s great to see you again, Lysithea.” she acts as if she hadn’t seen the woman just a couple of days ago at Enbarr. “And after we received such an invitation from Duke von Riegan, I couldn’t pass the opportunity to come and speak to him.” 

“Indeed.” she nods and knocks three times on the door for it to open. “Now please come in. We won’t be asking your companions to disarm themselves since our own entourage is armed. As a precaution measure.” 

“Of course.” Edelgard says and Byleth makes her way in first, taking a look at the four people who were standing and talking between them. They all had weapons and seemed pretty comfortable with themselves. 

Especially the man who was sitting in the middle of the table and was smiling at her. 

That must be Claude von Riegan. 

Nodding, she moves to the side and watches Edelgard make her way in, only then taking her cape off and allowing her white hair to be seen by everyone. As a precaution measure, they had chosen to wear travel clothes and hide their identities to the best of their abilities, only using a decent looking carriage to transport them here while Hubert, Linhardt and Petra rode along them in their own horses.

“Edelgard!” Claude says happily as he stands up. “It’s so great to see you here.”

“Claude.” Edelgard smiles softly at him. “I’m glad to see you doing and looking well.” 

“Likewise.” he nods. “Although I wish we were meeting under better circumstances, I truly am happy to see you well, my old friend.” 

“It feels like more than two years have gone by since we last spoke.” Edelgard smiles sadly. “To think that in fact it was only two years ago that our paths differed.” she takes a seat in the chair that was in front of Claude. “But I didn’t come all the way here to just reminiscence about the past.” she says seriously. “I came here because there’s much I need to tell you Claude. About the Church, about why I chose this path and what it could mean for all of Fodlan.” 

“And I came to listen without judgement, Edelgard.” he promises her. “Even before you chose to raise arms against the Church, I felt that their motives and actions during our time at Garreg Mach were hidden in scrutiny and shadows.” he confides in her. “Yet before we start, how about we introduce ourselves since it seems like there are new people with us?” he says while staring at Byleth who hadn’t sat down and was standing behind Edelgard. “Next to me I have Hilda Valentine Goneril, Lysithea von Ordelia, Ignatz Victor, and Leonie Pinelli. You’ve met all of them at Garreg Mach and they’re my best supporters.” 

The members of the Adrestian delegation nod in recognition. 

“As you already know, these are Hubert von Vestra, Linhardt von Hevring and Petra Macneary, former members of the Black Eagles and my dear friends.” she then turns to look at Byleth. “And the person behind me is Byleth Eisner, mercenary and now the instructor of the Black Eagle Strike Force.” she points towards Byleth who nods once. 

“Eisner…” they hear a woman’s voice whisper. “Did you say Eisner?” she stands up and gets closer to Byleth, action that makes the Black Eagles tense. 

“Leonie, is something wrong?” Claude asks her curiously as he watches his friend get close. 

“Are you _his_ child?” she asks Byleth who for a moment looks confused but then opens her eyes in shock. “Are you Jeralt’s child?!”


	10. Truths

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Leonie reveals to everyone that Byleth is Jeralt Eisner's child, questions from the Golden Deer put the mercenary on the spotlight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today I had time so I decided to update :) 
> 
> As always, thank you all for the kudos and comments, they really do mean a lot :)

As a mercenary, there weren’t many things that surprised Byleth anymore. At least, that was what she had thought before meeting Edelgard and becoming her personal guard. 

How ironic it was that such an encounter had led to the most surprises and feelings discovered in her whole life. 

The words of her father’s friend come back to her mind. 

_ “Yeah. I don’t remember her name because she spent most of her time with Jeralt.”  _ she had mused.  _ “But he liked her enough that he taught her some combat moves. Now that I know you, perhaps she reminded him of you and what could have been.”  _

A small girl who was now a woman. A woman that was now standing in front of her, asking her questions she herself would prefer she didn’t have to answer. 

Yet Edelgard was sitting in front of her, and after what she had shared with the Emperor the night before, it wouldn’t be difficult for her to connect the dots. 

“I am.” Byleth says simply, an answer that makes the warrior become angry. 

“You are the daughter of Jeralt Eisner?!” she repeats her question and Byleth knows everyone in the table has recognized the name. 

Difficult not to if they all went to Garreg Mach. 

“The Blade Breaker.” Hubert murmurs. “Former captain of the Knights of Seiros.” 

Byleth nods again. 

“But he told me you were dead. That you died when you were a baby.” Leonie argues. 

“Because he truly believed that.” Byleth explains to her. “Just like I had been led to believe that my family died.” 

“And who told you that?” Claude asks her and the way he does makes Byleth turn and stare coldly at him. 

“I apologize, but sharing something so personal and private makes me uncomfortable. It’s one thing to answer Pinelli’s questions because she already knows who my father was.” she explains coldly. “But there are things about me I wish remain private.” 

“I agree with Byleth.” Edelgard adds next to her. “Even if Leonie has questions, Byleth doesn’t have the obligation to answer them.” 

“What do you mean she doesn’t have the obligation?” Leonie gets angry. “She is the only person that knows what happened to Jeralt! I waited years for him to come back and he didn’t.” she closes her eyes. “I think I deserve to know why.” she turns her focus on Byleth. “So tell me, what happened to him?” 

Although Byleth looks completely unaffected by the questions Leonie was making, Edelgard knew better. She could sense how uncomfortable the mercenary truly was. 

And she didn’t like it at all. 

“She does not have to tell you anything.” Petra adds from the other side of the table. “This meeting is not about the Professor’s private life. You making the meeting into such is selfish and immature.” 

Leonie groans with this answer. 

“Leonie.” Lysithea warns her. 

“No! You don’t understand! He saved my village! He taught me how to fight and I became a warrior so I could be like him! And here in front of me is perhaps the only person that knows what happened to him and you’re telling me she doesn’t have to answer my questions. That’s total bullshit!” 

“Leonie, we can understand how you feel…” Ignatz tries to calm his friend. 

“She just needs to tell me what happened and that’s it! Why can’t she answer me?” 

Edelgard, for a moment, is confused at the sudden movement coming from her chair. It was miniscule enough that no one apart from her could sense it but that was only because Byleth had been grabbing the top of her chair with her hands. 

And she could clearly sense the chair shaking.

Byleth was nervous. And Edelgard was tired of Leonie’s attitude. 

“Jeralt died years ago.” Edelgard is the one that answers her coldly. “Yet the moment you meet his daughter, instead of welcoming her, you interrogate her.” 

Her saying it so coldly makes Leonie freeze. 

“If you yourself feel so strongly about his death, then imagine how talking about it would make Byleth feel.” she adds. “But you’re so focused on yourself that you forget to have the decency of treating Byleth as a human being.” 

The moment she finishes saying that, she knows her point has been made. Not only had the Golden Deer members looked down in embarrassment, but Leonie had looked up and focused on Byleth, who was still holding the chair in which Edelgard was sitting tightly. 

Showing to everyone how uncomfortable she felt. 

“I apologize deeply for causing you such pain.” Claude bows to Byleth, which makes Leonie stare at him shocked. “And trust me that I will have a discussion with my subordinate about her behavior towards you.” he turns to look at Edelgard. “Please forgive Leonie for her indiscretion and unkind treatment towards your personal guard.” 

“Only if you talk to her about what she did and ask her to not do it again.” Edelgard is firm but relaxes when she notices Byleth is doing better. “I know it wasn’t your intention to focus on this, Claude.” she tells him kindly. “And nor was it the reason we came all the way here. We came here to share with you what we know about the Church and what they’ve been doing since they were established by Saint Seiros herself.” she looks at Hubert. “Please, if you can continue.” 

“Of course, Your Majesty.” the Dark Bishop nods and starts speaking. “As you all know, Saint Seiros founded the Church after she performed miracles that made the people of Fodlan believe in her and the word of the Goddess, who had told Seiros of a gift to help guide the lost. Following that revelation, Saint Seiros helped Wilhelm I create the Adrestian Empire. Up until then, the Empire wasn’t what it was before the War of the Eagle and Lion. Instead, it was in Imperial Year 32 with the War of Heroes that Wilhelm I attempted to unite all of Fodlan under the Empire.” 

“Not to be rude or anything.” Hilda says rudely. “But we all know how history goes: Nemesis united the Empire’s opponents under his leadership to fight the Empire and Saint Seiros after he and the Ten Elites became corrupted from using the Heroes’ Relics. It wasn’t until Saint Seiros killed Nemesis and with the death of Lycaon I, the second Adrestian Emperor, that the war truly ended.” 

“You’re correct. And we know all of this because that’s the history the Church has taught since it was founded.” Hubert explains. “Yet there is more to this story that the Church has chosen to keep hidden in fear of retaliation and of tainting its pure and noble standing with the people.” 

Even Byleth is focused on what Hubert is saying, familiar with all the events the nobles had discussed up until now. 

“Have you ever wondered why it is that we have crests?” Hubert asks suddenly. “And from where they come from?” 

“They come from our lineage.” Claude says. “The Goddess gave the Ten Elites crests and relics to fight against evil. As their descendants, we have inherited either major or minor crests from them through our blood.” 

“That is true.” Linhardt says. “Yet that also makes you wonder, how did the Ten Elites even get their crests? It is clear that it can only be done by lineage and the crest information is within our blood. So how could they get their crests as adults?” 

This question makes everyone stare at each other, not knowing the answer. 

“That’s not the only question we should ask. Who was it that gave the Ten Elites the crests and the relics to begin with? And why?” Edelgard adds. “The Church’s version, while somewhat correct, fails to detail the somber aspects of how the Ten Elites obtained their crests and relics and how they got corrupted.” 

“And you know how it happened?” Claude asks. 

“We suspect.” Edelgard tells him. “Remember when we were studying at Garreg Mach the incident with Sylvain’s brother, Miklan?” 

“You mean the strange way in which Miklan died after he used a hero's relic?” 

Edelgard nods. 

“I wasn’t a part of the group that was sent to deal with him.” he admits. “Yet I know you were there. That it was the Black Eagles the ones that went to face him.” 

“We did, along with Sylvain and some other members of the Blue Lions.” she confirms. “When we faced him, he used a hero’s relic. At first nothing happened, but the longer he fought the more he changed up to the point he turned into a monster right in front of us.” she tells him bluntly. “At the time we didn’t understand how that had happened and Archbishop Rhea stated that it was because he was evil and the relic hadn’t recognized him as worthy. It was only later, when we discovered what the relics actually are that her statement started making more sense.” 

“What Her Majesty means is that the only way a person can safely use a hero’s relic is if they have a crest.” Linhardt explains. “Because both the crests and the heroes’ relics come from the same source.” 

“So that’s why most of the families that come from the Ten Elites have the heroes’ relics.” Hilda surmises. “Because we’re the only ones that can use them.”

Linhardt nods. 

“We believe that both crests and the heroes’ relics come from the Nabateans themselves. The crest stones…” he takes one last look at Edelgard who nods. “Are the actual remains of the Nabateans.”

“The Nabateans?” Byleth asks, surprising Edelgard. 

“Saint Seiros, the Goddess herself… They were never human. Instead, they were beings that looked like humans but had powers beyond natural. Creatures that could switch between human and dragon. When they first arrived at Fodlan, with the Goddess leading them, they sought humanity out to grow together and live in peace. But soon enough the humans betrayed them, killing most of the Nabateans and making the others fight in the war to stop them from completely eliminating their race.” 

‘But why would the humans betray the Nabateans who were helping them?” Ignatz asks. 

“We don’t really know.” Hubert answers him. “All we know is that this conflict between the humans and the Nabateans progressed to the point of the War of Heroes taking place. On one side it was the Nabateans, who had allied themselves with the Empire, and on the other it was Nemesis and the Ten Elites.” 

“So all of the main players that took part in that war were not humans?” Claude asks. 

“In a way yes.” Edelgard explains to him. “For the crests and the heroes’ relics that the Goddess gave to the Ten Elites came from the Nabateans themselves, making Nemesis and the Ten Elites become stronger than regular humans.”

“So our crests, they come from this race.” Igntaz murmurs. 

“That’s why it’s mostly nobles who have them.” Hubert explains. “Since it was the Ten Elites the original ones that received them.” 

“But how could the Church keep something like this hidden?” Hilda asks. “Wouldn’t there be someone who knows about this?” 

“They all died.” Lysithea says. “Killed during the war by the Church and its allies.” 

“You mean you were aware of this Lysithea?” Leonie asks her. 

Lysithea nods. 

“It took me years of research to find any concrete information but there are ancient books that speak of a superior race arriving in Fodlan and helping the first settlers.” 

“When a new Emperor rises to the throne, there is a message that the previous Emperor will make sure they pass over. This message comes from the time Wilhelm I created the Empire and has lasted all the way to me, Edelgard von Hresvelg.” Edelgard says solemnly. “It’s the only thing we as Emperors always vow to pass down before our death.” she closes her eyes. “That Saint Seiros is not dead and that she was never human. Instead, she’s a being that looks like a human but has powers beyond natural. Her true name, the one the Nabateans called her, is The Immaculate One. But all of us know her as Archbishop Rhea.” she deadpans and this statement makes everyone in the room freeze. 

Yet none of them are in more shock than Byleth, who had reached the same conclusion the further Edelgard’s tale went. That the woman who had pretended to love her was no human at all. That the monster she had seen that night many years ago was real and not a figment of her imagination. 

There were others that knew she was real. 

She wasn’t alone. 

“Even if we were to believe you about the Nabateans and Archbishop Rhea.” Claude speaks after a while. “That doesn’t explain why you started this war, Edelgard. If all your predecessors knew about this, then why didn’t they act? Why now?” 

“Because the Empire has been weak for a long time.” Edelgard admits to them all. “After losing Faerghus and the Leicester Alliance, we lost countless territory and men. Not only that, but our own internal problems led to the Emperor slowly losing power and the Ministers gaining control.” 

“And you want to tell us that that’s no longer the case?” Claude questions her. 

“It isn’t.” she promises them. “I am determined to see this through to the end. I started this war because the Church is responsible for creating and maintaining a system that only favors them and their allies. Their leader, taking advantage of the system she created, has ruled Fodlan from the shadows and eliminated anyone that opposes her or knows the truth about her.”

“Like what happened with the Western Church during our time at Garreg Mach.” Leonie whispers and they all remember how swift and vengeful Rhea had been in dealing with the insurrection. 

“When I made the decision to come talk to you, Claude, I decided to be as honest and upfront as I could.” Edelgard says passionately. 

Yet before Claude can respond, a scream can be heard all the way to the house where they were. 

“FIREEEEEEE! THERE’S A FIRE!” 

* * *

Because she had been so engrossed in what Edelgard and Hubert were saying, it took Byleth an extra moment to realize that there were screams coming from around them. Watching the rest of the people in the room stand up and move, it’s only because she’s so used to smells that she raises her hands and asks everyone to stand still. 

“I can smell fire but it isn’t a normal type of fire.” she warns them. 

“What do you mean?” Hilda asks. 

“Someone used an accelerant or dark magic to set our surroundings on fire.” she clarifies. “And usually with a fire, you would hear people running around us. Yet there’s nothing like that, only the screams.” 

“You mean this is a trap so we rush out of the house?” Edelgard asks her. 

“I believe so. We are far enough from the village, so whomever planned this attack could easily corner us.” 

“She’s right.” Leonie says. “The village is minutes away and if the fire was organized, then most probably they’ll make sure it doesn’t reach the town to not bring attention to themselves.” 

“So what do we do?” Claude smirks while grabbing his bow. “We can’t exactly stay here. By now they must know that we suspect this is a trap.” 

“They are probably waiting with spells and weapons ready to attack us once we try to leave.” Hubert mutters. 

“Then it’s a good thing that we have two people here that can use warp.” Lysithea smirks. “All we need to do is trick them into thinking we are trying to leave through the front door and then warp everyone away to counterattack.” 

“But that would mean the people acting as bait need to be strong enough to last until we are all out.” Petra adds. “Bows would be the best option so we can maintain the distance.” 

“That means Ignatz, Petra, Claude and Byleth would be the bait.” Edelgard surmises. “The rest of us will use warp and counter attack the moment we are in the clear.” 

Everyone nods in agreement. 

“Now then.” Claude smirks and gives an extra bow set to Byleth. “Show me what you can do.”

Nodding, Byleth exits first, dodging out of the way when a ball of dark magic is thrown at her. Noticing the direction in which it came from, she takes one arrow and shoots, a scream confirming that she had hit her target. 

“Now!” she says as she fires another arrow, watching Ignatz run out to cover and prepare himself to fire, hitting his target as well. 

“Now!” he says and Petra follows, moving out of the way as a magician throws a Miasma at her. 

“My turn.” she mutters and fires, her arrow hitting one of the mages in the arm, making her scream in anguish to only be silenced by Byleth who finishes her with a shot to the head. 

“You’re good.” Claude says as he fires two arrows in quick succession, both hitting their targets. “Also, all of them have warped and there’s no one else in the house.” 

“You’re better.” she acknowledges as she senses more magicians coming out. “We need to keep them distracted for long enough. If we can get them to move closer, even better.” 

“Then that means we should start missing some shots to build within them some false sense of security.” Petra proposes. 

“Sounds good to me.” Ignatz agrees and does as said, the move immediately making the magicians try to close the distance. 

“Attack!” they hear Edelgard’s voice command and the magicians turn around in fear and shock at finding themselves surrounded. 

“Let’s close the distance!” Byleth yells and takes her sword out, hitting and slashing at any enemies that she found close to her. 

Petra, likewise, had also chosen close combat and was pushing through, masterfully using her sword to create space for herself. 

“Do not let them escape!” Claude orders and sees Lysithea launch Miasmas to any mages that would dare get close to her. 

Hubert, next to Edelgard, was doing the same. 

“You will pay for what you tried to do!” Leonie screams and launches forward, her lance impaling a magician that was trying to get too close to Claude. 

“Thank you.” he says with a smile and both kneel when they see Hilda rush past them to throw her axe at another magician that had tried to ambush them. 

“You’re welcome.” she smirks at them as she goes to find another victim. 

“We are close to finishing them. Let’s make one last push!” Edelgard orders as she uses her axe to decapitate a magician behind her. 

“Damn it!” one of them groans as he steps back to gather with the remaining magicians. “We will die if we keep fighting like this. We have to use it!” 

“We can’t!” a woman argues. “We were told not to. That doing so would…” 

“Kill us?!” he yells. “We will die anyway.” he takes out what looks like a stone and swallows it. 

“No!” Edelgard screams, knowing exactly what that was. “Everyone, step away from them!” she yells as she watches the woman swallow another stone. 

“AHHHHHHH” both magicians scream as their bodies are shredded in darkness, the whimpers and lamentations that were coming from within making everyone shiver and freeze. 

Yet Byleth had been focused on the dark cloud, which in one moment had solidified and given shape into a monster that looked to have come right out of a nightmare. 

A monster that was gathering magic and pointing it straight at Edelgard. 

“NO!” she screams and runs the fastest she has ever run. “Edelgard move!” she yells and can see the Emperor will not be able to step out of the way on time. 

Feeling a strange power from within her, Byleth moves even faster than before, watching how everything surrounding her was moving in slow motion. Almost as if time was moving slower for her than for the others. Yet even with that, she would still be late. 

Running even faster, all Byleth has time to do is to push Edelgard away, the fireball that the monster had just fired heading straight towards her. 

_ Well…  _ she thinks with a smile as she closes her eyes. 

_ At least I was able to keep my promise.  _

_ ………………………... _

_ ………………….. _

_ ……………. _

“YOU IDIOT!” Byleth opens her eyes and finds herself once more in the dark room with the green throne and the familiar girl sitting on top of it. 

“What do you think you’re doing?!” the girl scolds her. “It’s like you’re trying to get me killed!” 

This makes Byleth look surprised at the girl who only huffs and sits back down. 

“Then again, if you don’t know the value of your life then you will not do your best to protect it, won’t you?” 

“Wait, you mean you were able to see what I was doing?” Byleth asks. 

“I’ve seen all you’ve been doing. And from what I’ve seen, I’ve determined that it’s up to me to guide you from now on.” she smiles excitedly and gets up. “You can call me Sothis but I’m also known as The Beginning.” 

“The Beginning?” she wonders what that even means. “Sothis? Is that your name? You remembered it?” 

“Yes. I remember that my name is Sothis and that I’m called The Beginning. But I can’t remember who actually called me that?” she wonders as she looks at Byleth. “But that’s not what we should be focusing on now. We should focus on the fact that I just saved your life.” 

“I had to do it.” Byleth says firmly. 

She doesn’t regret her decision at all. 

“I know that it’s your main job to protect this girl but don’t even get me started on how you’ve started acting ever since you met her.” Sothis admonishes her. “But don’t worry, all is well as I have stalled the flow of time. If I had not intervened you would have died.” 

“And I’m really thankful to you for you saving me.” Byleth tells her honestly. “At the time all I could think about was getting to Edelgard before that fire-ball did.” 

“I know.” the green-haired girl mutters. “And although I stalled time, the solution is only temporary: When time begins again, that fire-ball will kill you right away.” 

This makes Byleth flinch. 

“Is there a way for me to not end up burned to death?” the mercenary asks. 

“Are you really asking me to also solve this problem you started for both of us?” Sothis admonishes her. “How rude of you to drag me into this.” she groans. “So what to do?” 

Byleth thinks as well, wondering if Sothis was capable of stopping time, would it be possible for her to manipulate time in more ways? 

“If you can stop time, could you make it move backwards?” Byleth asks her. “That way, now that I know that the attack is coming, I’ll be ready for it.” 

“You’re right!” Sothis exclaims as she performs magic and an intricate magic circle appears in front of her. “I can’t wind time too far back, but it should be enough for you to protect yourself.” 

Byleth nods in confirmation. 

“Now go! You who bears the flames within. Drift through the flow of time to find the answers that you seek.” Sothis tells her and a white light makes all the darkness around Sothis and Byleth dissipate. 

Opening her eyes, Byleth finds herself on the battlefield, the two magicians looking at each other as they take out two stones and swallow them. 

“No!” she hears Edelgard scream and ignores the magicians’ yells as they transform into monsters. 

Racing towards Edelgard, she notices the same fire-ball that had almost killed her make its way to the Emperor, who sees it too late for her to react. Yet before it could reach Edelgard, Byleth is there and pushes both of them out of the way, holding Edelgard close to her as they jump away. 

“Byleth!” the Emperor exclaims as they land and the mercenary lets her go. “Thank you.” 

Byleth nods and turns to focus on the monsters that were killing the remaining dark magicians. 

“Edelgard.” Claude says as he rushes to where they are, followed by the rest of their group. “Are you alright?” 

“Yes, all thanks to the Professor.” she smiles at the woman. “Though right now our biggest problem is destroying those monsters.” 

“They seem to be reacting to the physical and magic attacks being launched by those magicians.” Hubert says. “So perhaps if we divide our forces equally and focus on inflicting damage that could eliminate them?” 

“That sounds like a plan to me.” Claude smirks. “The Golden Deer will take the one on the far right.” he stares at Edelgard. “Let’s see which house beats the monster first.” 

“Really?! Are you really trying to start a competition right now?!” Edelgard scolds him as she watches the Golden Deer and him run away. “We will not lose.” she mutters. “Black Eagles, let’s go!” she yells and they all rush behind her, Byleth making sure she’s close enough to protect Edelgard if needed. 

“Die!” Hubert says as he launches a dark spell that transforms into spikes that impale the monster. 

“Now Petra!” Byleth says and they watch Petra throw arrow behind arrow to distract the creature. 

“Linhardt!” Edelgard watches the bishop move forward and cast Excalibur, which creates a massive dust of wind that envelopes the monster and starts stabbing it. 

“Let’s go Professor!” she says to the mercenary who nods and runs towards the monster with her, the two using their weapons to launch a simultaneous attack. 

“Now!” Byleth screams and uses her sword to slash at the creature, its scream deafening them for a moment. 

“You will not defeat us!” Edelgard uses her axe to do the finishing move, her crest activating and adding force to the attack. 

“GHFGHGHG.” the monster roars and starts melting away, leaving behind the dark magician and the stone. 

“It is gone.” Petra says confused as they watch Hubert get close and pick the crest stone. “Almost as if that monster had not existed.” 

“But it did.” Claude adds as he approaches with the Golden Deer, a crest stone in his hand as well. “Why did they turn into those monsters when they swallowed this?” 

“Because these are crest stones.” Linhardt explains as he is analyzing one of them. “They’re used to create heroes’ relics and as we told you, are part of the Nabateans.” 

“So these rocks…” Hilda murmurs. “They’re really fossils of the Nabateans that the Church and their enemies have used to fight against each other?” she asks, baffled. “Because those dark magicians we just fought are definitely not with the Church.” 

Edelgard nods. 

“Like I told you before, there is a bigger truth that has been hidden from all of us. What this truth is, I’m not certain yet. All we know are the people involved and what they plan to do to those who know.” 

“They will silence us.” Lysithea says firmly. “To make sure their secret remains safe.” 

“And by sharing this with me, you’ve gotten me involved as well, Edelgard.” Claude mutters. “I wonder if doing so was a part of your plan right from the start.” 

“You wanted to know the truth, Claude.” Edelgard reminds him. “This is the truth. You can either choose to do something about it or stand aside. But now that you know that this war is bigger than what Dimitri and the Church is making it seem, I do hope you reconsider your stance.” 

“I have a lot to think about.” he is honest with her. “We’ve heard and seen things that we didn’t even consider could be real. I need time.” 

“I understand.” Edelgard tells him. “To be honest, you saying that is more than what I was expecting from this meeting.” 

“I’m glad I can still surprise you after all these years, Edelgard.” he smiles at her and looks at the village behind them. “Now then, I think it would be best for us to head to the village and tell the people that a practice session went a little sideways but that everything is well.” he stares at Leonie. “Could you help us with this?” 

“Of course.” the warrior says politely and gives Byleth one last hard look before stepping away. 

“I’ll go help her.” Ignatz says and follows her friend back to Sauin, meaning that only Claude, Hilda and Lysithea remain from the Golden Deer. 

“Lysithea.” Claude addresses the mage. “I know you asked me years ago to transfer to the Black Eagles.” this statement gets him a surprised look from Hilda. “At the time I asked you to stay to help Edelgard and I have an easy way to share messages and intel. Yet after what just happened, the next time I speak with Edelgard will be an official decision from the Leicester Alliance. As such, you don’t have to stay with us.” 

This makes Lysithea stare at him. 

“Really?” she asks him and then focuses on Edelgard. “Are you okay with me not staying behind, Your Majesty?” 

“Like Claude just said, the next time we hear from him, it will be to either welcome him as an ally or deal with him as a neutral party.” Edelgard determines. “And if the former is the case, I don’t want him to have in his arsenal a talented magician and dear friend of mine.” she smiles at the younger woman. “Come home with us, Lysithea.” 

The moment she says this, Lysithea rushes forward and hugs Edelgard tight, the action making the Emperor freeze for a moment before she relaxes and returns the gesture. 

There was something about it that made Byleth flinch a little, the feelings that came from seeing Edelgard be close to someone else strange and uncomfortable. 

Yet before she can really think of what this meant, Byleth hears a snap coming from the forest in front of them. Without thinking, she grabs Petra’s bow and fires an arrow towards the noise, the projectile hitting its intended target swiftly. 

“What was that?” Edelgard asks seriously as she separates from Lysithea. “Hubert, Petra, please go investigate.” 

“Yes Your Majesty.” Hubert says and warps them towards the direction Byleth had fired the arrow. 

Following closely, they stop when Hubert raises his hand to make them halt. 

“It seems like a spy.” Petra tells them solemnly. “She is wearing clothes from the Alliance.” she stares at Claude and Hilda. “She is dead.” 

“Was she one of yours?” Edelgard asks Claude as the two get close to take a look at the body. 

“No.” Claude mutters darkly. 

“That’s a problem.” Byleth is the one that says as she returns Petra’s bow. “Your house is not clean.” 

“So it seems.” he smiles bitterly. “Do you recognize her Hilda?” 

“No.” Hilda responds as she starts inspecting her body. “And she doesn’t have any possessions that could give us a lead.” she stands up and steps away from her. 

“She was waiting on the sidelines and just started making her escape when she saw us leave as well. That has to mean she was going to report what just happened to someone.” she hypothesizes. 

“Could be.” Claude agrees with her. 

“We should go.” Byleth tells them as she looks at Edelgard “The sooner we return to Enbarr, the better.” 

“I agree Your Majesty.” Hubert adds as he stands behind Edelgard. 

“Understood.” Edelgard smiles at her friends before giving Claude one serious look. “You have a lot to think about and not plenty of time to make a decision.” she gives him a sad smile. “For the sake of the Leicester Alliance and the future of Fodlan, I hope you make the right one.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is the one that made me hesitate a lot because of the lore. I hope I did a good job with it :)
> 
> Also, don't hesitate to reach out to me on Tumblr, geekwithacuriousmind, to talk FE3h and Edeleth :)


	11. Returning to Enbarr and Explanations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After their meeting with Claude and the Golden Deer, Byleth and the Emperor's entourage makes its way back to Enbarr. Yet it's now impossible for them to ignore the connection Byleth has to Garreg Mach and the Knights of Seiros.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the late update! Got a little busy with life but I hope the wait for this chapter is worth it! 
> 
> There's also a surprise near the end of the chapter :)

_Somewhere in The Easternmost Mountains of Hrym_

Carefully making their way to the main chamber, they can’t prevent the chill that goes through their body as they stare at their surroundings. Even though this wasn’t their first time here, the fear and coldness of the place still got to them. And, although there was also a sense of awe at how intricate and peculiar the place was, the fact that there were people who could construct and maintain it terrified them. 

Just who were these people and how had they created this? 

_That’s a question that I shouldn’t even be thinking of…_ they think as they continue walking towards the main chamber. 

They had seen first handedly what happened to traitors or people who asked too many questions. Had been at the back when other spies had been tortured and then murdered to stay silent. 

All so that they wouldn’t reveal their secret. 

Gulping, they continue onwards, only stopping when they arrive at their destination and see a familiar man sitting on the throne. 

Thales, as he called himself, was staring down at them; awaiting the news they were bringing all the way from Enbarr. 

“We’ve been able to confirm that Emperor Edelgard has not been on Enbarr for the last day.” they explain. “We’re not sure of when she left, but some of her companions have also been unaccounted for and we’re still not aware of where they went.” 

“So she managed to slip out without you discovering her.” he mutters. “How disappointing.” he looks at his surroundings where they’re sure his subordinates are probably standing. “Doesn’t matter. She can’t hide from us for too long. Still.” he stares darkly at them. “Finding out that my spies have been outsmarted is somewhat worrisome.” 

“The guards that were under our use were suddenly moved. At first we thought it was because the Emperor and her vassal suspected something; but we were able to confirm that the changes came from General Randolph von Bergliez who decided to change the security details after Her Majesty was ambushed.” 

“A move that makes sense.” Thales murmurs. “Doesn’t mean I allow failure to repeat itself. Do you understand?” 

They nod in confirmation. 

“Good. What have you been able to uncover about the mercenary she has chosen to employ as her personal guard?” 

“Nothing too particular.” they answer. “She seems very capable, only the Emperor herself being able to match her skill and ability. When we asked other mercenaries about her, all they could tell us was that she’s also known as the Ashen Demon.” 

“The Ashen Demon… Why was she given such a name?” 

“For her skill and coldness on the battlefield, with some claiming that she wasn’t human.” 

This makes Thales think, wondering if such a thing could be possible or if it was just an exaggeration built out of fear. 

Regardless of the reason, he was interested in knowing more about her. 

“This Byleth woman sounds interesting.” he smiles darkly. “Interesting enough for me to make a personal visit.” he chuckles. “Now return and keep me updated about any changes. And _do_ find where it was that Emperor Edelgard went to.” he orders and watches their spy rush out of the room. 

“It is worrisome that she’s been acting behind our backs.” Solon adds from behind him. 

“Is it really that unexpected?” Thales asks him. “We’ve been doing the same. Besides, she wouldn’t be the pawn we know she can be if she just stayed still and waited for us to tell her what to do. No Solon, in order for our revenge to come to fruition, we need the world to see Emperor Edelgard as the bringer of darkness. Our involvement, our revenge, must remain hidden in the shadows as it has always been.” 

“You overestimate the hold you have on that girl.” Solon refutes. “She’s not as weak as you think she is.” 

“Isn’t she?” he laughs. “Edelgard may be outspoken in her disagreement with our plans…” he agrees with him on that. “But she has yet to betray or hinder us. And with our main enemy the same…” he smirks. “By the time we are done with the Church, the Emperor won’t realize that she’s next.” 

* * *

As they make their way through the border, Byleth remains on high alert, her gaze not leaving Edelgard as the group reconvenes with the undercover Imperial soldiers that had awaited their return. 

Quickly helping Edelgard and Lysithea enter the carriage, it’s only after she confirms that Hubert, Petra and Linhardt are in position before she goes to sit in front of the Emperor, who is calmly talking to Lysithea. 

“Are we ready to depart?” she asks after Byleth closes the door and signals the carriage to start moving. 

Byleth nods. 

“We will be using the same formation we had for our departure yet our route will be a different one just in case there was a leak from the castle.” she informs them. “Hubert, Petra and Linhardt are aware of the changes.” she explains mechanically as she stares out the window. 

“Thank you for being so through with our departure plan.” Edelgard tells her kindly. 

“That’s my duty as your personal guard.” Byleth responds simply. 

“That is true, but I still wanted to thank you for protecting me.” the Emperor blushes a little. “Not only did you save me from that fire-ball but you also stopped the spy from escaping.” 

Byleth turns to look at Edelgard, who is smiling at her and this makes her smile in return. 

_“Really, that’s all it takes to make you smile?”_ she hears a familiar voice and immediately turns to stare at her surroundings, finding that there was no one there and she was still awake. 

_“You’re surprised you can hear me so clearly, right?”_ Sothis smirks. _“Now that I’ve remembered my name and have used my powers, I can communicate directly with you.”_ she chuckles. _“Seems like you’ll need it if we wish to remain safe.”_

“Is something wrong?” Edelgard asks her curiously as she watches Byleth move her head from side to side. 

“No Your Majesty.” Byleth apologizes and remains silent, feeling the way Lysithea was staring at her, as if analyzing her. 

“You didn’t tell me much about her when we had breakfast that morning, Edelgard.” Lysithea complains. “Were you keeping her a secret from me?” she pouts. 

“Of course not.” the Emperor smiles. “We were just too occupied with you telling me about your latest endeavors that by the time it was my turn you had to return to Derdriu.” 

“You planned it that way!” 

This statement makes Edelgard laugh. 

“Now Lysithea, no need to get upset with me about it. You’ll be staying with us from now on, and as a member of the Black Eagle Strike Force you’ll get to learn from Byleth herself.” 

“I’m looking forward to that.” the mage tells Byleth honestly. “From what I was able to see on the battlefield, you seem like a talented individual.” 

“Thank you.” Byleth responds honestly and gives Edelgard a confused look. 

Right, she hadn’t introduced them! 

“Forgive me, but I haven’t told Byleth about you before today’s meeting.” Edelgard says as she focuses on the mercenary. “This is Lysithea von Ordelia, heir of the current Count Ordelia. We met at Garreg Mach and after I declared war against the Church, Lysithea asked if she could join the Black Eagles. As Claude mentioned earlier, we needed a trustworthy person to communicate back and forth, making Lysithea our contact and spy at Leicester.”

“She was the spy you were talking about.” Byleth realizes the role Lysithea had in all of this. “The one that told you about King Dimitri’s possible invasion.” 

Edelgard nods. 

“I still don’t know how he plans to achieve such a thing but it is clear that we can’t trust anyone. The enemy, which can be the Church, Faerghus or even the Alliance; have plenty of allies and spies within their midst.” 

“Does that mean that you still haven’t discovered the identity of the Empire mole?” Lysithea asks the Emperor who shakes her head. 

“Hubert has been swiftly eliminating suspects from the list but nothing concrete yet. Though I wonder if the spy Byleth killed was our own spy.” 

“Unlikely.” the mercenary tells them somberly. “The spy at Enbarr is more professional.” 

“And how do you know that?” Edelgard asks her. 

“I believe the spy tried to gather information about me by going into my room the day following my arrival to the castle.” she explains. “They didn’t take anything and my room didn’t seem as if it had been unlocked. Yet I know it was because of some traps I left.” 

“And you didn’t tell me this then because?” Edelgard is upset. 

“Because I thought it could be related to me becoming the instructor of the Black Eagles and nothing else. But with what just happened and the fact that the enemy showed us they can have multiple spies and in different kingdoms… It makes my earlier suspicions be confirmed.” 

“It would make sense for the enemy to wish to get information about you.” Lysithea says. “You're relatively new to the Empire and yet Edelgard gave you an important position in her court. Many probably think it’s either because you’re good at your job or you have something that could compromise Edelgard. If I were a spy I would like to discover which one it is.” 

“Lysithea is correct.” Edelgard closes her eyes. “And I can understand why you would choose to not share this with me then.” she admits. “Still, I wish our deal could extend both ways, Byleth.” 

_“Oh I knew this was coming.”_ Sothis comments inside her head. _“I’m surprised it took her that long to bring it up.”_

Byleth looks down, suddenly feeling embarrassed at the way Edelgard had almost scolded her. 

She felt like a child. 

“I said right from the start that I wished to keep my personal life private.” she mutters. “And that I would do everything within my power to protect you, Your Majesty.” 

“And you’ve been doing so perfectly.” Edelgard immediately confirms to her. 

“Then why do you wish to know more?” she asks her sadly. “There’s a reason I don’t talk about my life. It wasn’t a happy one and I don’t like remembering it.” 

_“Byleth…”_

“The last thing I wish is to cause you pain.” Edelgard says softly. “But I also can’t ignore your father’s connection to Garreg Mach and the Knights of Seiros. If there’s any information that could help us in the war effort...” 

“That’s all it’s about, isn’t it?” Byleth whispers bitterly and she looks up at Edelgard, who for the first time is nervous around her. “It’s about Her Majesty obtaining extra information to aid her in the war.” she looks away. 

“No, you misunderstand. Byleth…” 

“Like I said earlier, I never got to meet my father or mother. I was told both of them died, my mother at childbirth and my father of a broken heart. But I don’t know what to believe anymore because years later, a man who claimed to be my father appeared in front of me. When I asked him why he abandoned me, he said _he_ had been told both my mother and I died at childbirth. Ironic that both of us were lied to.” she chuckles bitterly. “Yet at the end it didn’t matter because he died as well.” she looks up at Edelgard who is staring sadly at her. “I’m sorry I don’t know more about him and his connections at Garreg Mach to aid you in your war.” she finishes bitterly before she knocks on the carriage's roof which makes it stop right away. 

“Did something happen to Her Majesty?” Hubert asks from outside once he catches up to the carriage. 

“No.” Byleth says firmly. “I just need to step out for the rest of the trip and want to ask you to switch places with me.” 

Hubert stares at Edelgard, noticing the tension and confusion on the Emperor’s face. 

“It’s alright.” the Emperor says and Hubert nods, quickly getting down from his horse and giving it to Byleth, who without a word takes it and moves to where Hubert had been. 

Using the same knock Byleth had used to let the driver know they were ready to move, Hubert suspects that something had happened between Byleth and the Emperor. Something that had made the women wish to create some distance between them. 

Something that probably had to do with what they discovered about Byleth’s father. 

“Your Majesty…” 

“Not now Hubert.” Edelgard whispers as she turns to the other side of the carriage. “I’ll tell you the moment we reach the castle.” she promises him. “But right now I need time to myself.”

Nodding, Hubert turns to look at Lysithea, who was giving Edelgard her own curious look. 

Apparently it looked like he would need to wait a bit longer before he got answers to the questions he had. 

Outside, Byleth can sense everyone’s eyes on her as she gets on top of the horse and puts herself in position, following the carriage from the sidelines once Hubert gives the driver the signal for him to start moving. 

_“Are you okay?”_ Sothis asks her immediately, this time appearing in front of the bluenette who barely manages to stay on top of her horse. 

“You could have made me fall!” she scolds her as she confirms she’s balanced. “By appearing so suddenly in front of me!” she clarifies to Sothis who chuckles. 

_“We both know the fall wouldn’t have killed you.”_ she smiles but then turns serious. _“And don’t think I can’t see what you’re trying to do by changing the topic.”_

“It’s not fair that you have full access to my thoughts.” she murmurs. 

_“True, but because I do, I know how much the girl’s words hurt you. Even though you’re pretending they didn’t.”_

“I’m alright.” she states. “Besides, it would have surprised me if she didn’t ask me about it.” 

_“Perhaps.”_ Sothis agrees. _“But you were disappointed by the way she did it. By what she said.”_

“Yeah.” Byleth says bitterly as she focuses on her surroundings. 

Just because she was upset at Edelgard that didn’t mean she wasn’t going to do her best to protect her. 

_“It’s not usual for you to get so upset. Not even when they were questioning you about your father earlier did you react like this.”_

Sothis was right. When the Golden Deer asked her the same thing, Byleth had been able to calm herself down and focus on her mission to protect Edelgard. Yet when it had been the Emperor herself who had asked her the same question, the way in which she had done so had truly upset her. 

_For the war effort…_

She wasn’t naïve enough to think that Edelgard could truly care about her. At the end of the day, she had been hired to protect the Emperor from assassins and anyone that tried to get too close to her. 

_That_ was her mission. To protect Edelgard and train her classmates. 

Not to take part in the war. 

_“But aren’t you taking part in it by helping the Black Eagle Strike Force? They will use the skills you’ve taught them to kill Edelgard’s enemies. Hence your skills will be used in the war.”_ Sothis points out. 

“It’s not the same.” she whispers. “I chose to teach them so that they survive.” 

_“Because Edelgard asked you to. Because when you saw how close she is to them and how much she cares, you wanted to do something to help keep safe the people she cares about.”_

“And is that so wrong of me?” 

_“It’s not. But it’s not right for you to lie to yourself about your intentions and what you’re willing to do for Edelgard.”_ Sothis looks sadly at her. _“And it’s time for you to question if she sees you as a person or as an object to further her goals.”_

This statement makes Byleth look up at the sky, giving merit to Sothis’ statement. She couldn’t deny that she was starting to see Edelgard as more than her employer. True, it was part of her job to protect her but that didn’t mean she had to protect her from mental scars and trauma. Her job was to keep her alive. 

Yet when thinking of Edelgard, Byleth found herself wanting to do more. To help Edelgard feel better and ease her burdens. 

It had been why she hadn’t told her about the intruder earlier. 

“Perhaps it’s because I see myself in her.” she admits bitterly. “But you don’t have to tell me what I already know, Sothis. That I’m only fooling myself.” she says sadly. “For how could the Emperor of Adrestia care for a simple commoner like me?” 

* * *

The moment they arrived at Enbarr, Edelgard knew she would be busy during the rest of the day. Not only did she have to make sure everything was going smoothly at the castle but she also had to talk to Hubert about the mole and their future plans regarding the Leicester Alliance. 

Not even after getting attacked and returning home did she get a break.

Usually that didn’t bother her, the responsibility and burden of the Empire’s success making her feel guilty about taking breaks and relaxing. But this time, when she saw Byleth open the door to the carriage to let her down, all Edelgard had wanted to do was ask the mercenary to join her so they could talk. 

So that she could explain herself. 

Yet Byleth had acted as if nothing had happened and accompanied her to her studio, not exchanging words or looking at her as she did so. And when she had to leave, instead of the usual smile the mercenary gave her, all she got was a bow and a ‘Your Majesty’ whispered her way before Byleth left her alone with Hubert, whom she knew had been silently looking at the exchange. 

“Will she be a problem?” he asks her firmly. 

“What?” she was distracted by Byleth’s departure and didn’t fully hear what her vassal had asked her. 

“The Professor. Will she be a problem?” 

“Of course not!” Edelgard argues immediately. “She saved my life plenty of times and killed the spy before she could escape.” 

“I’m not saying she isn’t doing her job.” he explains to her. “What I’m saying is; there’s much we don’t know about her. And the more we learn, the more it seems to be connected to our enemies. I wonder if it’s worth it to keep such a volatile and unknown person within our midst.” 

“Byleth is a person just like you and I are.” Edelgard tells him firmly. “And she has proved herself again and again to be worthy of her position as my protector and the Strike Force’s instructor.” she then looks away from Hubert. “And her past… She’s entitled to have one.” 

“Not when she’s so close to you. To the person leading this revolution. If something were to happen to you… All our efforts and plans will have been for naught.” 

“I’m aware of that.” she tells him darkly. “Every day you remind me of how important my life is to the cause. I haven’t forgotten, Hubert.” 

Hubert realizes his statement had been taken the wrong way. 

“I… I apologize if what I said came out wrong.” 

“Don’t. I did the same thing earlier.” Edelgard laughs bitterly. “I did the same thing to Byleth when I asked her about her father. For the war effort.” she murmurs. “Just like you see my survival as essential for the war effort, I also made Byleth think that.” 

“But she is.” Hubert reminds her. “You said so yourself when you offered her the job.” 

“Byleth is more than that.” Edelgard argues. “I am more than that.” she closes her eyes. “And I was a fool for forgetting how awful it feels to be told every day that your life matters for the wrong reasons.” 

“Your Majesty…” Hubert now understands why Edelgard had been so upset with the conversation she had earlier. “You know I would give my life for your own. That you’re the most important person in my life.” 

“Born out of duty.” Edelgard reminds him. “True, I know you care Hubert. Believe me, you’ve always been there for me and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. But at the same time, you’ve done so because it’s your duty as my vassal.” she smiles sadly at him. “And I think it’s too late for us to separate the two of them.” 

“Your Majesty!” 

“See, you can’t even call me Edelgard.” she smiles at him. “I don’t want to think of myself as just the Emperor because when we win the war, what will become of me afterwards? If I’m solely living for the war, then what will I do when it’s all over?” she admits. “It terrifies me to think of my life as purposeless.” 

“You’re the Emperor, we will always need you.” Hubert argues. 

“But I’m also Edelgard.” the Emperor smiles. “And it’s Edelgard the one I’m worried about.” she takes a deep breath and concentrates on bringing forward the Emperor, wanting to hide her fear and insecurities behind the strong façade she had created. “Now, let us begin our discussion about today’s events and the possible responses the Leicester Alliance could have to what we shared with them.” 

* * *

_“This place is huge!”_ Sothis exclaims as she walks with Byleth through the gardens. _“How do you even know where to go?”_

Byleth chuckles. 

“It took me some time to get used to.” she smiles. “But now it’s easy for me to walk around without getting lost.” 

_“I see…”_ the girl says softly. _“I can feel what you’re feeling, you know? And although you’re pretending that you’re okay, the conversation we had earlier is lingering on your mind.”_

“You told me a lot of things that I hadn’t considered.” Byleth admits to her. “Things that I hadn’t thought about regarding my relationship with the Emperor.” 

_“Oh stop it!”_ Sothis scolds her. _“We both know that the girl seems to care about you in some way. No one is that nice and kind to someone they don’t appreciate.”_

“Then why did you tell me all those things earlier?!” 

_“Because you need to start thinking and questioning people, Byleth. By saying that you have no feelings, you allow people to do as they wish. To take you for granted or treat you inconsiderately.”_ Sothis argues with her as she sits under the shade of a tree, followed by Byleth. _“You have every right to be angry and upset with Edelgard. She can probably understand why you would be after all your nightly talks.”_

“You mean you were there when they happened?” Byleth blushes at the notion. 

_“I keep telling you that I know all you’re thinking and what you’ve done since we first met!”_ Sothis huffs. _“So of course I’ve seen you wake the girl up from her nightly terrors. Poor her.”_

Byleth nods. 

“Do you think that the nightmares she has are involved with something happening to her family? Because from what she has said, her siblings didn’t die naturally.” 

_“Hard to know until she tells you herself. Like she said, just her being the Emperor and from the Royal family would make her have plenty of enemies.”_

Sothis is right. There could be many people who would try to get to the Emperor by destroying what they love most. In the case of Edelgard’s father, it had been his children with the exception of Edelgard. 

Just how did Edelgard survive and escape when her siblings didn’t? 

_“You’ll have to ask her or wait until she shares that with you.”_ Sothis reads her thoughts. _“Though a hard topic to discuss, she has at least told you that her siblings died.”_

“Which is something that everyone knows.” Byleth mutters. 

_“She lets you see her have nightmares.”_ Sothis reminds her. _“To me, Edelgard seems like a person who doesn’t like to show people her weaknesses. Yet she lets you in.”_

Again, Sothis had a point. Edelgard was stubborn, and from what some of the Black Eagles told her, refused to ask for help. Not only that, but she would act as if nothing was wrong to the point of her collapsing out of exhaustion or pain. 

_That’s just the way she is…_

Byleth remembers that night when she woke Edelgard up from another nightmare… 

_“Talking to you about this, seeing you open yourself up to me a little, it made me feel better about my dreams.”_ Edelgard admitted with a sad smile. _“To be quite honest, when I wake up from a nightmare, I’m never able to go back to sleep, the nightmare still fresh in my mind. But now that I talked to you, and got the chance to hear a little about you…It actually made me feel sleepy again.”_

_“That seems honest to me.”_ Sothis interrupts her and this makes Byleth realize that she’s still under the tree in the gardens. 

Byleth nods.

_“So what will you do?”_

“I’ll talk to her.” Byleth determines. “I’ll wait to hear the truth from her.” 

_“Good!”_ Sothis exclaims with a smile and stands up. _“Now let’s go get some rest to be ready for tonight!”_

* * *

Byleth had not come to dinner. 

Unlike the previous days when the conversation was lively, this time it seemed that almost everyone suspected that something had happened between Edelgard and the Professor. Hence, none of them spoke longer than necessary and instead focused on eating their food, welcoming Lysithea and telling her what they had been up to. 

Edelgard appreciated the effort they were taking in pretending that everything was okay. 

Yet all the white-haired woman could think about was Byleth and how she must be feeling. Everyone knew she had a big appetite, the woman always competing with Caspar and Petra to see who ate more. 

So for her to miss dinner… 

It must have meant that she really didn’t want to talk to her. 

_Not that I blame her…_ she thinks bitterly as she tries to finish her dinner. 

“Edie.” she hears Dorothea whisper next to her. “You’re not looking too well.” she tells her. 

“I’m sorry.” she apologizes. “I just have a lot on my mind and it seems like it’s ruining my appetite.” 

“Please let us know if there’s anything we can help you with.” Ferdinand offers. “As the future Prime Minister, I can take and do some of the administrative tasks for you.” 

“That would be really helpful. Thank you Ferdinand.” she gives him an honest smile. “But that’s not all. Plenty happened today that I still need to tell you about. I plan on doing so tomorrow during practice.” 

The Black Eagles nod in confirmation. 

“I wonder if we’ll have our normal early morning session.” Caspar comments and immediately regrets it when he sees the way Edelgard grabs her fork tighter. 

Because they couldn’t be sure if Byleth would show up or not. 

“I think I will head to my room and call it a night.” she tries to smile but knows she’s failing from the sad looks her friends are giving her. “See you tomorrow.” 

“See you Edelgard!” Bernadetta and everyone else says before she nods and goes towards her room, Hubert following her closely. 

After the discussion they had earlier, both had been more silent than usual when it came to talking with each other. Perhaps it was because both felt vulnerable and surprised by what they discussed; regardless, Edelgard couldn’t remember the last time Hubert had been this silent around her. 

_Oh, I do remember…_ she thinks bitterly. 

_It was when he found out what Those Who Slitter in the Dark did to me._

Arriving at her room, she quickly dismisses Hubert and Flowa, who had asked her if she needed any help changing and getting ready for bed. 

“I can do it myself tonight.” Edelgard smiles at her. “I wish to be alone.” 

“Understood.” she nods. “Night, Your Majesty.” 

“Good night.” the door to her room closes and Edelgard prepares for bed, carefully taking her armor off. 

Yet although she had told Flowa she didn’t want help, the truth was that she needed help. The armor had this one area where it was difficult to remove the leather without outside help and Edelgard had completely forgotten about it in her haste to be left alone. 

One part of her was thinking of telling her guards to bring Flowa back and just accept she had acted prematurely. 

The other one refused to be seen as weak, already revealing too much to the people close to her. 

_Imagine if they really knew how weak you are, how scared you feel._

“Stop it.” she whispers as she continues trying to take the armor off. 

_Completely helpless without her staff or friends, poor little El all alone. No family, no friends who love you._

“Shut up.” she whimpers and feels her breathing getting rougher. 

_No one will ever love you. I mean how could they when you look like a monster. A monster that is afraid of the dark and other monsters._

“Leave me alone.” she cries and kneels, the voices getting louder and louder. 

_Alone._

_Useless._

_Ugly._

_Unworthy._

_Undeserving._

_Monster._

“Edelgard!” she feels calloused hands on top of her gloved hands and she opens her eyes to see Byleth’s blue eyes staring at hers. 

“Byleth?” she whispers and notices her voice is rough from the crying she had done. “I…”

“You don’t need to explain a thing.” the mercenary tells her. “I heard you from my room and came to see if you needed help.” 

This statement makes the Emperor stare at her. 

“Need help?” 

“Well, I remember your armor being difficult to take out without an assistant so I came to offer you my help.” 

“My armor…” Edelgard repeats as she remembers that everything started because she couldn’t take her armor off. “I really don’t wish to inconvenience you.” 

“It’s no trouble.” Byleth tells her. “I promise.” 

The moment she says that, Edelgard nods, letting her arms fall and feeling herself being helped up by Byleth, who immediately went to the areas where her armor needed to be tied out. 

Feeling Byleth take away her armor, Edelgard is feeling more vulnerable than usual. Not only had she been upset because of what she said to the mercenary, but she had also been seen having a panic attack by the bluenette woman. 

“Just how many of my secrets will she find?” she whispers to herself. 

“Sorry?” Byleth asks her. 

“Nothing.” Edelgard immediately says but then turns serious. “You didn’t come to dinner.” 

“I fell asleep.” she admits embarrassed. “By the time I woke up it was too late to head to the dining room.” 

The moment she says that, Edelgard takes a look at the mercenary's clothes and realizes she's not wearing her new armor but just a black shirt with grey plates and black pants. 

“Does that mean you haven’t eaten yet? I can get the guards to bring you something now.”

“I stopped by the kitchen and got something.” Byleth smiles at her and Edelgard feels some of the sadness she had experienced that day dissipate. 

Byleth was just too kind and generous. 

“I’m sorry.” Edelgard whispers but this time she knows Byleth heard her. “I’m sorry for the way I treated you earlier today. For how I ignored your feelings when I promised I wouldn’t.” 

Byleth doesn’t answer her, continuing to remove her armor as they speak. 

“I really hope you can forgive me.” she adds sadly. “And that you choose to not leave my services.” 

“Why?” Byleth finally asks her as she finishes taking the armor off, leaving Edelgard in her training clothes. “Why does it matter if I stay or not?” 

“Because you’ve done nothing but the very best. You’re talented and have the skills necessary to be my protector.” 

“I’m sure there are plenty of people who can do the same job I’ve been doing to protect you.” 

“No they can’t!” Edelgard argues, which makes Byleth freeze. “They can’t because they’re not you, Byleth.” 

“Your Majesty…” 

“I care about you and your feelings, Byleth.” Edelgard steps away from her. “You’re the only person that treats me like a human being. That treats me like Edelgard and nothing else.” 

“But your friends…” 

“I love them dearly.” she smiles sadly at her. “But even then, because my skill is superior to theirs, there's a barrier between us. Yet you’re equal to me in skill. You’re smart, and kind and loyal. It would be foolish of me to let you go.” 

“Because you want me for my skills.” Byleth tests her. “Because you’ve seen how good I am and what I could do for your army.” 

“That was what I thought when we first met and I made you a deal.” she admits. “But now, all I can think of is that I can’t let my friend go away.” 

“Your friend?” Byleth is baffled. 

“Did you not see me as a friend?” Edelgard asks, feeling insecure. 

“I did.” Byleth admits to her with a soft blush. “I just thought you would never see me that way because I’m a mercenary and a commoner.” 

“Those things don’t matter to me! How you are inside is what I care about. And from what I’ve seen, you’re always so good to me.” 

“But what about my past?” Byleth asks her. “There are things I still don’t wish to talk about. Things that someone could say you should know as my Emperor.” 

“I don’t want to know them as your Emperor.” Edelgard tells her as she moves forward and grabs her hands. “I want to know them as your friend.” 

The moment she says that, all the mistrust and insecurities Byleth had inside of her melted away, leaving only gratitude and happiness within her. 

No one had ever said these things to her. No one had cared if she left or stayed. 

No one had asked her to stay. 

Confused about all the emotions she was feeling, Byleth doesn’t know what to do. For the first time in a long time, she feels her body and mind acting against one another; each telling her to do something different. 

_“Ask her if you can hug her!”_ Sothis whispers to her. 

“Can I hug you?” she parrots out and watches the surprise on Edelgard’s face quickly turning to acceptance. 

“Please.” she says as she extends her arms, welcoming Byleth into her embrace. 

When the two hug, Byleth isn’t capable of putting into words what she’s feeling. It was all so much that she felt tears falling from her eyes; whimpers also making their way out into Edelgard’s neck. 

“I’m here for you.” Edelgard promises her as she holds her, caressing her back with one of her hands.

“You really want me to stay?” Byleth cries vulnerably and the sight almost breaks Edelgard’s heart. 

“I do.” she tells her with a smile. “It would make me very sad if you left.” 

“But I’m not ready yet.” she confesses to the Emperor. “To share my past with you.” 

“Neither am I.” Edelgard says. “But it’s good that we’re friends, right? So we’ll know when each of us is ready.” 

Nodding, Byleth hugs Edelgard tighter, the strange concoction of the woman’s touch and voice making her lose herself in everything that is the Emperor and making her wish to never let go. 

“Thank you.” she says softly as she stares at Edelgard, who is smiling at her. “For being my friend, Edelgard.” 

The moment she says that, she is hugged by Edelgard, who is hiding her face in her neck. It doesn’t take long for Byleth to feel the Emperor’s tears, the noble woman’s sobs being silenced by the mercenary’s neck. 

_This…_ both think at the same time. 

_Is enough for now._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original art made by hedgeesn! 
> 
> Thank you so much for the beautiful art! 
> 
> Go follow her on Tumblr! 
> 
> https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/hedgeesn


	12. An Unexpected Visitor and A Warning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After opening up to Edelgard, Byleth learns from the other Black Eagles about the Emperor's relationship with Hubert. And, an unexpected visitor arrives to the capital with important news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updating a little earlier because I was excited to share this chapter! Thank you so much for your support as always! :)

After sharing her feelings with Edelgard, and for the first time since she can remember, allowing herself to break down in front of someone else; Byleth felt lighter. As if an imaginary weight had been lifted off her shoulders by talking to the Emperor and hearing from her that her presence at Enbarr mattered. 

That Edelgard saw her as a friend and didn’t want her to go. 

And while they were still concerned about the mole and the response of the Leicester Alliance, they couldn’t exactly go and act differently as they waited for things to change. Edelgard was still preparing for the possibility of Dimitri invading Enbarr while Byleth continued training the Black Eagle Strike Force which had started getting more serious about practice after the meeting they had the day following their arrival from Sauin. 

_ Flashback _

“Thank you all for coming to this meeting.” Edelgard says as she receives a nod from Hubert. “We’ve made sure the room we are using has been silenced and that our location is not known by anyone but the people in this room.”

“So where does everyone think we are?” Ferdinand asks. 

“They think we are practicing as usual.” Edelgard smirks. “And that the Professor is teaching a seminar about weapons and magic.” 

“The door has been enchanted so that when someone gets close they’ll hear the professor talking about weapons, formulas, etc.” 

“I had to spend hours saying all of that so that the spell could use it.” Byleth groans, which amuses the Black Eagles who weren’t used to seeing the woman show her emotions to them. 

“And we appreciate it, Byleth.” Edelgard jokes and this surprises everyone even more. “Yet as much as I wish to take this opportunity to catch up and talk about silly things; this meeting is not for that.” she tells them. “We want to tell you what happened at Sauin and how our meeting with Claude went.” she stares at Lysithea. “And explain what Lysithea’s role has been this last two years.” 

As Edelgard explains to them how Claude and her had agreed on making Lysithea be their spy, to their arrival to Sauin and the revelation that Byleth’s father was the Captain of the Knights of Seiros; Byleth notices the way everyone is focusing on Edelgard and how their eyes don’t leave her once. 

Finding herself staring at the Emperor as well, the mercenary begins to understand how Edelgard had been able to captivate and convince soldiers, politicians and nobles to join her cause of fighting the Church of Seiros. 

_ “There’s an aura around her.”  _ Sothis whispers.  _ “That makes you focus on her and not take your eyes away from her.”  _ she adds in complete awe. 

Byleth agreed. 

“Do we have any idea from what kingdom the magicians came from?” Dorothea asks. 

Hubert shakes his head. 

“None. And since Dark magic is allowed in all kingdoms of Fodlan, it would be hard to narrow it down.” 

“What about the spy? Was it the same spy we have here?” Caspar asks. 

“Again, no way to confirm if it was or wasn’t.” Edelgard explains. “Yet the professor believes that the spy we killed wasn’t the one from Enbarr.” this statement surprises everyone including Hubert. “Could you tell them why?” 

“The day after I arrived at Enbarr, someone broke into my room and made it seem as if they didn’t. The only reason I found out my room was tampered with was because of some traps I left. The spy I killed at Sauin wasn’t as skilled as the one here.” 

“Although we can’t precisely confirm it, we should stay cautious and think that we still have a spy around us.” Hubert adds. 

“But what I wanted to tell you is what Lysithea discovered from a meeting Dimitri had with the Alliance nobles.” Edelgard nods to Lysithea. 

“Dimitri claimed he would invade the Empire in four months. That he would take over Enbarr in exchange for troops and weapons from the Alliance.” 

“Four months?!” Ferdinand exclaims. “That’s insane. There’s no way he could do such a thing.” 

“We believe the same.” Edelgard tells him. “But it’s also a cause of concern that he claimed such a thing. It’s worth investigating.”

“Which is something I’m doing at the moment.” Hubert tells them. “And nothing from our internal reports show any damaged structure or location that could be used by the enemy to achieve such a feat.” 

“Do you think they’ll bring  _ her  _ to do so?” Bernadetta whispers and they all know what she means. 

The Immaculate One. 

“She wouldn’t risk revealing her true identity unless she could confirm her victory and our fall.” Edelgard surmises. “And even then, if she destroys the capital herself, the church will lose all credibility and support. It’s one thing for the knights of Faerghus and the Church do so.” she explains. “But for the Archbishop herself to attack us that way… I don’t think people would forgive, worse forget, such a thing.” 

“They would rebel like the first humans did when the Nabateans were around.” Byleth murmurs and knows everyone has heard her. 

“We believe this fear is what will prevent Rhea from using her true form.” Edelgard agrees with her. “Instead, she’ll use heroes and relics like she did last time.” 

“Dimitri and the Knights of Seiros.” Dorothea says. 

“So what can we do?” Petra is the one that asks. “How do we prepare?” 

“We train. We get faster, stronger and smarter so that the enemy can’t surprise us.” Edelgard tells them. “If Claude does not give us the response we hope, then we plan on invading territories that will allow us to conquer Garreg Mach.”

“Garreg Mach?” Byleth asks. “Why would you need to conquer such a place? You share borders with Faerghus and Leicester already.” 

Oh, she realizes what Edelgard wants to do by conquering Garreg Mach. 

“You want to completely isolate Faerghus so that they can’t ask for help.” Byleth says. “And by pushing the Archbishop away from Garreg Mach, you also take away the Church’s seat of power.” 

Edelgard nods. 

“Garreg Mach has never seen battle. No one has attempted to seize it. By making sure our troops are in Leicester and the Empire, we can attack Garreg Mach from two fronts. Suspecting Rhea will flee to Faerghus after the loss, that means we can attack her from those three sides: Adrestia, Leicester and Garreg Mach.” 

“So none of them escape.” Byleth whispers. 

Edelgard nods. 

“It seems…” Ferdinand says. “That the war will start moving forward sooner than later, huh.”

_ “War…”  _ Sothis whispers in her mind.  _ “Why does hearing that word make me so sad?”  _

_ End of Flashback _

Following that talk, they had all understood that they needed to start preparing for the upcoming battles. And while they still laughed and did their royal duties, Byleth could sense the tension and nerves from all of them. 

Yet even with the fear of war surrounding the Black Eagles, without realizing it, a month had gone by since Byleth arrived in Enbarr. And, even with all the preparation and war talks she had most days; she could honestly say that she was enjoying her time in the Imperial capital. 

But spending more time with the same people meant that Byleth was starting to notice things. 

One specific example: There seemed to be something going on with Edelgard and Hubert. 

While at first things had seemed normal between them after the trip to Sauin, Byleth started noticing that Hubert wasn’t around Edelgard as much as he was before. He was still doing his job and investigating the mole as well as attending royal meetings and summons when necessary. But, when it came to team interactions and dinners, Hubert wasn’t around. 

And when she asked Edelgard about it, the only answer the Emperor gave her was that Hubert probably had a lot on his plate and was doing his job. 

“Although I’m the Emperor.” Edelgard had smiled sadly at her as the two talked after one of her nightmares. “He still keeps secrets from me.” 

“And you’re okay with that?” Byleth had asked. 

“We all have secrets, rights?” she smiled. “I know he’s my vassal, and that if I ordered him to, he would tell me what he’s really thinking. But I’ve already received and taken a lot from him. Last thing I want to do is take away even more.” 

_ “Are you still worried about that?”  _ Sothis appears in front of her as she’s sprinting during their early morning run.

Byleth nods. 

“I know everyone is trying to act as if they’re not affected by it but you can sense the tension when Edelgard and Hubert are together during practice.” she says composed, almost as if she was calmly walking instead of running. 

Sothis nods. 

_ “I admire the man’s loyalty because it’s quite clear that something happened between Edelgard and him. Yet he’s still there doing his job.”  _

Byleth agrees and turns her head to see Edelgard keeping up very close by with Petra following them and Caspar at the end, huffing in exhaustion. 

Although Hubert had spent less time with Edelgard, he still met with her to go over security measures and the Black Eagle Strike Force. Or, if he had to step away for some reason, he made sure he let Byleth know so she would be ready. 

_ “But it makes sense, doesn’t it?”  _ Sothis adds.  _ “That his relationship with Edelgard is so complicated because of how it started.”  _

_ “Indeed.”  _ the mercenary agrees and stops running when she reaches the end of the track, Edelgard almost catching up to her after a final push with Petra coming in a couple of seconds later.

Caspar was the last one. 

“I’m dead.” the man groans as he collapses to the floor, sweat rolling down his face. “I don’t know how you three are capable of maintaining such a rhythm.” he complains to Byleth, Edelgard and Petra. 

“Because we train.” Petra smirks. “Also, your battle style is not one focused on cardio. Doing this will help you increase your stamina.” 

“Petra is right.” Edelgard says as she drinks some water. “You and I rely on heavy armor to protect us, meaning that we need stamina to keep moving while wearing it. This type of training will help us improve that.” 

“You already keep up with the professor.” Caspar pouts to Edelgard. 

“It’s never wrong to keep improving your skills.” Byleth intervenes. “Besides, I can see that you’re faster and are running for longer. Your hard work is bearing fruits. Good work.” she congratulates him and sees how her words motivate him. 

“I will work harder!” he exclaims. “I’ll make sure I’m strong enough to keep up with Edelgard so I can protect her.” 

Edelgard smiles kindly at him. 

“Thank you Caspar. I’m confident you’ll be able to do so soon.” 

“I believe in you Caspar!” Petra encourages him. “But do not think I will let you beat me.” 

Byleth and Edelgard smile at the way those two are always competing and challenging each other. 

After the two talked and were honest with how they saw each other, Edelgard had started joining them for morning practice almost every day, which had surprised Caspar and Petra the first two days the Emperor had shown up. 

Yet after those two days, everyone got used to Edelgard’s presence. In fact, it ended up encouraging people like Ferdinand to join them from time to time to try to challenge the white-haired woman into competitions. 

Byleth found it all amusing. 

“You know…” Edelgard says to her as they watch Caspar try to get Petra to arm wrestle against him. “It has been a while since I’ve been able to relax and enjoy practice with my friends.” she smiles softly at her. “Thank you for that.” 

“I haven’t done anything.” Byleth blushes while looking away. “Just my job.” 

_ “You’re blushing.”  _ Sothis smirks as she watches Byleth and Edelgard talk. 

“Still, everyone enjoys coming to practice and they all feel motivated to improve because of how talented you are. That hasn’t been the case with the Black Eagle Strike Force for a while now.” 

Byleth is thinking of what to answer the noble woman before they feel someone warping close to them. Immediately, the mercenary places herself in front of Edelgard and takes her sword out, feeling Caspar and Petra rushing to them. 

Yet the moment they see that it’s Hubert the one that comes out of the warp, they all relax. 

“My apologies for my abrupt arrival.” he bows and then walks to where Edelgard is. “I’m afraid I will have to ask you to come with me.” he says seriously. 

“But I thought we had made sure that all my activities would begin after the Strike Force’s training.” Edelgard says. 

“I’m afraid today that can’t be the case.” Hubert stares at her. “We have a  _ guest.”  _ he says and the way he does so makes Byleth suspect that there was something else going on. 

And from the way Edelgard looks at him and then nods, it seems that she is already aware of who the guest is. 

“Professor.” Edelgard turns to her with an apologetic smile. “I’m afraid Hubert and I won’t be able to make it to practice today.” she says. 

“I understand.” Byleth nods. “We’ll catch the two of you up tomorrow.”

“Thank you Professor.” Hubert says and holds Edelgard’s shoulder. “Are you ready Your Majesty?” they watch Edelgard nod and the two warp away. 

“Maaaaan.” Caspar complains. “And I was hoping I would get the chance to practice my axe skills with Edelgard.” he huffs. 

“It seemed like it was important.” Byleth murmurs. 

“It probably is.” Petra agrees with her. “Edelgard is very strong willed, so for her to accept Hubert’s change of plans, it must mean that it is something related to the war.” 

This makes Byleth, Caspar and Petra look at each other. 

“True.” Caspar says. “Still, it’s weird to see them act so strange.”

“Edelgard and Hubert?” Byleth asks. 

Caspar nods. 

“I mean, you haven’t known them for as long as us.” he explains. “But we can see that when they’re around each other, Hubert is all tense and uptight.” 

_ Edelgard and Hubert had been tense with each other?  _

“Caspar.” Petra admonishes him. “You shouldn’t talk about things that don’t concern you.” 

“Do you think there’s something else going on between the two of them?” Byleth asks. 

_ “Surprising to find you curious about such gossip.”  _ Sothis says in her mind.  _ “Thought it involves Edelgard so then again not that surprising.”  _

“We think so.” Caspar tells her as he gives Petra a look. “Usually we see Hubert act all mysterious and superior when it comes to Edelgard and his mission to…” he takes a deep breath and makes his voice get deeper. “To protect Her Majesty from all possible harm.” 

His imitation makes Byleth smile. 

“But last night he was all quiet and musing to himself, as if he was doing all he could to hide himself from Edelgard.” he stares at Petra. “He even allowed Ferdinand to ramble about tea without staring daggers at him.” 

“That was indeed strange.” Petra admits. “But even if that is the case, that does not make it our business.” she scolds him. 

“But you can’t say you aren’t curious either. I mean, we all know that those two have known each other since they were children and that Hubert has always been Edelgard’s vassal.” 

“Since they were children?” Byleth asks, surprised. 

Caspar and Petra nod. 

“I forget at times that you were not involved with royal politics and practices.” Petra says. “In Enbarr, the von Vestra family has always been in charge of being the vassals of the von Hresvelg. Hubert got the position of Edelgard’s vassal at the age of six.” 

“He became her vassal when he was six?” she is surprised. “Is it that normal for children to enter such relationships and deals at such a young age?” 

Caspar nods. 

“It is part of royal life and the von Vestra family saw it as an honor. It also makes them have a close and personal position within the Royal family, which is what many of the other noble families in Enbarr want.” 

_ “The child is right.”  _ Sothis adds.  _ “It would make sense to improve your own position by allying yourself with the strongest family. And by starting a bond from a young age… You can gain a lot of influence.” _

Sothis was right. The way politics worked, the closer you were to the Royal Family, the more powerful your position within Enbarr will be. 

_ “But even then, the von Vestra couldn’t know that Her Majesty would become the Emperor.”  _ Byleth muses.  _ “So it was done out of tradition more than anything else.”  _

_ “True. By the time he was appointed as Edelgard’s vassal, her siblings were still alive.”  _

“Since then, Hubert has been Edelgard’s right hand. Always by her side doing her bidding and getting rid of her enemies.” Caspar adds. “But even though they’ve been through so much, Hubert only sees Edelgard as Her Majesty and himself as her vassal.” 

“You do not know that Caspar.” Petra tells him. “But I do have to admit that it is strange to see how close yet distant those two are.” 

“What do you mean?” Byleth asks. 

“It is clear Edelgard trusts Hubert with her life and the future of the Empire.” Petra explains. “Yet there is still a wall between them when it comes to more personal things.” 

“I wonder at times if they’re truly friends.” Caspar says sadly. “Cause they don’t act like it.” 

She remembers Edelgard’s words from nights ago when they opened up to each other. 

_ “You’re the only person that treats me like a human being. That treats me like Edelgard and nothing else.”  _

“Oh Caspar.” they hear an amused voice say from behind them and they all turn to find Dorothea standing next to them. “Are you telling the professor your theory of Edie and Hubie?” she teases him. 

“She suspects something is going on as well!” he defends himself. 

“Oh does she?” Dorothea stares at her. “Do you think something is going on as well?” 

_ “As well.”  _ Sothis says. “ _ She just told you she agrees with the boy.”  _

“If you’re asking me then that means you believe it too, right?” Byleth tests the woman and sees the way her smile gets bigger. 

“Perhaps.” she admits. “But like Petra said…” she gives the woman a radiant smile. “It is not our business to get involved. Edie wouldn’t like it.” 

She’s right. Edelgard would be upset if she knew they were discussing her relationship with Hubert behind her back. 

Yet there was something that was making Byleth want to learn more about it. Again behaving unlike herself, the mercenary felt she needed to get to the bottom of this problem. 

For Edelgard’s sake. 

_ “You want to help her make-up with the Dark Bishop.”  _ Sothis says amused.  _ “That’s why you’re trying to learn about their relationship.”  _

Byleth doesn’t deny this because it’s true. 

Since Edelgard told her that she felt her friends didn’t see her as an equal, Byleth had done her best to try to shorten that gap between them. By making Edelgard take part in training, making her do common tasks like cleaning and such; basically treating her as one regular member of the Black Eagles, Byleth was hoping this would allow the group to open up to each other. 

And with the way Caspar and Petra had talked to Edelgard earlier during practice, it seemed like it was working. 

_ “Perhaps.”  _ Sothis murmurs.  _ “But you can’t change the fact that she’s the Emperor. Her life is more valuable than theirs. You being here is a clear example of that.”  _

_ “That is true.”  _ Byleth agrees.  _ “But that doesn’t mean Edelgard can’t talk or do things with her classmates. That doesn’t mean she has to be the Emperor all the time when she’s around them. At least while she’s here in the courtyard practicing…”  _ Byleth closes her eyes.  _ “I don’t want Edelgard to have to worry about Royal responsibilities. I want her to enjoy her time with her friends.”  _

Sothis smiles at her. 

“Professor? Professor?” she hears Dorothea say amused and this makes her realize she had just been silently standing still. 

“I’m sorry.” she apologizes. “I was just thinking.” 

“We could see that.” Dorothea laughs. “Must have been very important.” 

“In a way.” she admits. “But going back to what we were discussing.” she stares at them. “Petra is right. It is none of our business what the relationship between Her Majesty and Hubert is like as long as it doesn’t affect their performance on the battlefield.”

“And what if that were to happen?” the magician asks seriously. 

“I’ll make sure to take the necessary steps.” Byleth takes a deep breath. “Now then, since we were able to finish our daily morning practice, I think we have enough time to do some weight training before everyone else arrives.” she chuckles. “And since you happen to be here Dorothea.” she smirks at the woman who is slowly trying to step away. “How about you join us for our weight training?” 

* * *

Carefully making their way towards the throne room, Edelgard is thinking of everything she had done that could have led to  _ him  _ making a visit to Enbarr. She hadn’t acted in a way that would sound or look suspicious. Yet even then, the fact that he had come to see her meant that there was something going on or that he wanted to check her progress. 

And she didn’t like either of those possibilities. 

“How long has it been since he arrived?” Edelgard asks him. 

“I came to find you the moment he arrived.” Hubert tells her. 

“Him being here makes me wonder if those magicians we fought at Sauin were his.” she murmurs. “With that spy not being able to give him any information about what happened, all he knows is that his mole was made and his magicians were killed.” 

“Perhaps.” Hubert says. “Those magicians were talented enough to be his. And they did have the Crest stones.” 

“Do you think he’s here to try to figure out if we were involved or know anything about that?” Edelgard wonders. 

“All he can do is suspect.” Hubert tells her. “But even then, we made sure no one knew where we went as well as having strong alibis that his spies had to tell him.” 

Edelgard nods. 

“He can’t suspect a thing.” she says seriously. “We’ve been extremely careful in our approach.” she nods. “So him visiting is to either give us a warning or to ask for a favor.” 

“Or both.” he states solemnly. 

She agrees with him. 

‘Well then, no point in waiting and wondering what he’ll say, right?” Edelgard composes herself and nods to Hubert that she’s ready for him to open the door to the throne room. 

Walking past all the guards and staff, she can see Arundel sitting on a chair, his back towards them. Yet the moment he hears them come in, he turns around and smiles at her; that same smile that she saw every night in her nightmares. 

She hated it so much. 

“Your Majesty.” he adds solemnly and bows once. “I hope I haven’t interrupted you.” 

“Not at all uncle.” she smiles politely. “It is always good to see you. I hope you’ve been well?” 

“Very well.” Arundel says. “In fact, things have calmed down enough in my territory that I decided to make a short visit to the capital.” he smirks. “You see, with you being my last living relative, we should stay as close as possible.” 

_ So that you can never escape me. _

“Well our common cause in seeing the Church and Archbishop gone is what unites us.” Edelgard says simply. 

“Indeed. A cause that is becoming longer and longer the more we wait.” he groans. “To think that the war would reach such a stalemate… Makes me wonder if our Emperor is planning to do something to change things?” 

Edelgard stares strongly at him. He was here because he wanted to force her hand into attacking and making things move faster; probably out of desperation to obtain the secrets of the Nabateans. When it came to Arundel, Edelgard was no fool: She knew their alliance was one of common interests, with the older man showing an interest in the many relics and treasures of Garreg Mach and the Archbishop herself. To Edelgard, that had been clear right from the start and it made sense with the many strange tools and machines Arundel had used during the course of her life. 

Tools that were definitely made with technology that didn’t come from this world. 

Tools that had been able to mutate her body and blood and give her power no mortal should have. 

Tools that, according to stories and tales Linhardt had discovered, were capable of destroying entire cities with one attack. 

Edelgard had vowed to herself that she would not destroy one corrupt god and then let another take her place. 

But she also had to be careful about her intentions. She knew Arundel wasn’t foolish enough to think she was right under his paw. And, there was also the fact that they needed each other to succeed in the dismantling of the Church and rise of the Empire. Which meant that they couldn’t dispose of each other. 

Yet.

So instead, Edelgard had done her best to prevent Arundel from obtaining sacred relics and stones by not attacking targets that possessed said things. True, at times she had to allow him to do as he wanted; but by slowing things down, she was also giving herself time to prepare for what was coming. 

For the moment Arundel would betray and kill her and her allies. 

And that was something Edelgard was not going to allow. 

“The war is going at the pace we want it to.” Edelgard says firmly. “With both Faerghus and the Church of Seiros against us, we need to be careful in not revealing our hand too quickly. Surely you understand that.” 

“Of course.” he smiles. “The last thing I wish is for our revolution to fail, dear niece.” he becomes serious. “Which is why I’ve come here with information that you will find useful.” 

“Oh really?” 

“Indeed.” he gives some papers to Hubert who inspects them before nodding and passing them to Edelgard. 

“These are some very detailed plans for Arianrhod.” she says surprised. “How did you get them?” 

“That is for me to know.” Arundel smiles.

_ Which probably means he has a mole inside the city.  _

“With this information, I’m sure you’ll be able to plan an attack to gain the fortress. And with this fortress controlled by us, getting to Garreg Mach will not be difficult.” 

He was right. If they were able to capture Arianrhod, then that meant Edelgard could place her soldiers and new headquarters in Faerghus. Not only would she control the border but she would also be able to know if Dimitri planned on attacking her; Arianrhod stopping such an attack and giving her troops enough time to return from Garreg Mach if needed. 

Arundel always knew how to play his cards right to make her do what he wished for. 

One of the things she despised about him. 

“I will seriously consider moving forward with my plans regarding Arianrhod.” Edelgard states seriously. “All I hope is that these maps and schematics you’ve provided me with are not part of a trap.” 

“Of course not.” Arundel says seriously. “Your success in conquering Arianrhod is for us one step closer to Garreg Mach. We will do all we can to help you obtain victory in your conquest of Fodlan, Your Majesty.” he bows once and then stands. 

“Your loyalty is appreciated uncle.” Edelgard nods. “I know this is terribly rude of me…” she adds. “But I’m afraid that there is plenty for me to do.” 

“Understandable.” he smiles. “I promise I won’t keep you for longer.” he chuckles. “I just have one last thing to ask you about.” he stares at her. “I’ve heard this strange rumor… About a new instructor for your strike force.” 

“Indeed.” she confirms. “Adding her to our forces has been, up until now, very favorable.” 

“I wonder where she came from.” Arundel muses. “It is very strange to find people as talented as her so suddenly.” he tells her knowingly. “It makes me wonder how it was that the two of you crossed paths.” 

Edelgard stares at him, trying to discern how much he knew and how much she should share. 

“Unfortunately that’s something that I wish to keep a secret.” she smiles apologetically. “You, of all people, know that walls have ears. Even the ones of the Imperial Palace.” 

“Indeed.” he agrees with her. “It is good to see you acting cautiously, Edelgard. But I can’t help but wonder if the sudden appearance of your new instructor at the palace is mere coincidence or someone else’s plan? You can never be too careful when it comes to the people you allow close to you.” he warns her. 

“I thank you for your concern.” Edelgard says tersely. “The addition of the Professor to the Empire’s forces has yet to prove disadvantageous. Until that happens, I plan on using her abilities and knowledge for the Empire’s victory. Besides, Hubert is keeping an eye on her. And you know how through he is with the people who may pose a danger to my safety.” 

Hubert bows in recognition, smirking at the sight of Arundel’s annoyed look. 

Knowing that Arundel wouldn’t be able to push the topic more without sounding suspicious or overly interested, Edelgard takes a moment to think of what she had just told him about Byleth. She had hated talking about Byleth like that, as if she was a mere tool. But doing it that way would make Arundel believe that she just saw the mercenary as an object and nothing more: Just someone else that would bring her closer to her goals and that’s all. 

“As it should be.” Arundel says. “I ask because of my concern for you, my niece, nothing more. After the many atrocities the Church did in the name of their faith and Goddess.” he closes his eyes dramatically. “We cannot let our guard down: You know that the church is capable of almost anything if it means keeping their secret hidden.” 

“You don’t have to remind me of that.” she nods and turns around to head out. 

“And Edelgard…” he adds. “Do not linger for longer than necessary. Our allies are growing weary of all the waiting.” 

Not answering him and heading out of the throne room, it is only until she’s back in her studio that Edelgard relaxes her stance, needing to take deep breaths to calm herself. 

Knowing that Hubert was behind her, she takes a seat, needing more time to analyze every word that had been said in that room and whether she had given him too much information. 

“It seems…” Hubert says. “That our suspicions about Arundel having spies in the other kingdoms was confirmed.” he raises the maps and schematics he had given them. “This information could have only come from a spy or mole at Faerghus.” 

“More specifically Arianrhod. And you know as well as I do that it's  _ her _ who is in that fortress." Edelgard reminds him. “Like we’ve known all along, he is desperate to get the treasures and relics from Garreg Mach for his own machinations.” she groans. “And is pushing us to attack with a battle that logistically makes sense as our next step.” 

“Indeed.” the Dark Bishop agrees. “He was very clever in bringing you those schematics. We had considered Arianrhod as one of our targets the moment we planned to attack Faerghus. From what I was able to discern, these will aid us in taking the fortress back.” 

“It would be a big boost for the Empire with the history that the fortress has.” Edelgard murmurs. “Not only would we be recovering Empire territory but we would also be bringing our forces closer to Fhirdiad. I just don’t like that he’s the one proposing this attack.”

“Neither do I. But strategically speaking, it is a logical next step. This would also force Claude to reach a decision faster and for the Church to retaliate with us being so close to Garreg Mach.” 

Edelgard nods, knowing that everything Hubert was saying is correct. 

She just knew that Arundel had his own reasons for doing this. And that he would somehow be benefiting from their invasion of Arianrhod. 

“I want to know what he would win by us attacking the fortress.” Edelgard determines. “The moment we do, then we will attack.” 

“You know there’s only one way for us to do so.” Hubert reminds her. 

“We’ll have to contact her so she meets with us.” Edelgard says. “I want to have all the cards in my hand before I make a decision. Especially since those maps you're holding in your hand probably came from that viper." 

“A wise decision.” Hubert smiles. “Should I go ahead and get in contact with our spy?” 

“No need.” Edelgard says. “We’ll do it the old way.”

“You mean actually going into Fhirdiad and getting in touch with her?” Hubert is surprised. 

Edelgard nods. 

“I don’t want to rely on messengers and others that could have been bought or planted by our enemies.” she tells him. “We have several members on the Strike Force for missions such as this one.” 

“You’ll send her.” Hubert realizes right away. 

“She’s our best fighter and I know she’ll protect the people I choose to travel to Fhirdiad.” Edelgard says resolute. 

“Your Majesty, don’t you think you’re revealing too much to a woman that we don’t know much about? I know I keep repeating myself, but I feel the urge to remind you of the fact that she’s an unknown variable in our plans. What if she betrays us?” 

“If she does…” Edelgard takes a deep breath. “Then I’m confident you will make sure she doesn’t do it again.” she stares at him. 

“Your Majesty...” Hubert is surprised by the woman’s response. 

“I’m tired of arguing and trying to reason with you when it comes to Byleth, Hubert.” Edelgard admits to him. “And I know that the only way her loyalty and duty towards me can be proven is with a mission such as this one.” she closes her eyes. “Not only that, but we can’t afford the luxury to stay distant and divided, Hubert.” she stares at him. “We still have much to accomplish.” 

Hubert, knowing that this was Her Majesty’s way of asking him to let bygones be bygones, nods in agreement, knowing that she had been right when she told him that he first saw her as his Emperor and then as Edelgard. 

He had been taught to do so since he was a child and changing his ways so late in life seemed futile. 

“I understand, Your Majesty.” he bows once. “And this may be unnecessary for me to say…” he looks down. “But I want you to know that I want you to succeed in becoming the Emperor of all Fodlan not only because I know you’ll do a wonderful job…” he stares at her. “But because doing so will finally free you from the chains of your past.” 

“Hubert…” Edelgard whispers, surprised. 

“So as long as you’re performing your duties as Emperor and your enemies are still alive, I will remain your loyal vassal and protector.” he vows. “After that…” he smiles. “Who knows what will become of me?” 

“Something to look forward to.” the Emperor smirks. “To see what you’ll do after we win this war.” she becomes serious. “But in order to win it, we need to make a move. And Arianrhod seems like a really good one. Which is why I want to send Byleth and Dorothea to Fhirdiad.” she looks at the map Arundel had given her. “We know Arundel will be keeping an eye on us after this meeting so we can’t leave Enbarr without raising his suspicions. Instead, what you and I must do is prepare our army for battle.” 

“To make it seem as if we’re taking his word and preparing to attack Arianrhod.” 

Edelgard nods. 

“Preparations should give Byleth and Dorothea enough time to travel and return from Fhirdiad with information about Arianrhod and the state of affairs in the capital.” 

Hubert nods, knowing that the Emperor was right. They would need, for this mission, to rely on members of the Black Eagle Strike Force that didn’t have important positions around the nobility that could be noticed by their absence. 

Although he didn’t like to admit it, those two were the perfect ones for the mission. And, he knew Dorothea would keep an eye on the mercenary and if it came to worst, would be able to defend and wrap herself back to safety. 

“You know Arundel will be interested about the Professor’s departure, right?” he adds. “He was trying to find out information about her.” 

Edelgard nods. 

“It would be foolish for him not to be.” she states. “In fact, I’m expecting him to be.” 

Hubert opens his eyes. 

“You’re hoping his spy will show itself when they go to inform Arundel about the Professor’s departure.” 

Edelgard nods. 

“And when that happens…” she stares darkly at him. “I want you to be ready.” 

“Understood, Your Majesty.” Hubert smirks, looking forward to Her Majesty’s scheming. 


	13. A Sudden Trip and a Vow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After being summoned to the Emperor's studio, Byleth and Dorothea talk about their faith, their reasons for joining the Empire and believing in Edelgard. A vow is swore and a sudden trip is proposed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm uploading this earlier because I got super excited about this chapter! Also, this story has more than 200 kudos?! Thank you so much for your incredible support! Let me know what you all think of this chapter and check my tumblr @geekwithacuriousmind for an extra surprise!

“You know…” Dorothea says to her as the two make their way to Edelgard’s studio. “You aren’t really much of a talker, are you?” 

Byleth shakes her head, which makes the brunette laugh. 

After Edelgard left the training session with Hubert, the mercenary hadn’t been able to stop thinking about who was this guest that made the white-haired woman rush away. 

_ “Someone really important, that’s who.”  _ Sothis tells her as she appears next to Dorothea and her. 

_ “I know.”  _ Byleth groans.  _ “I just, I could sense that she wasn’t comfortable about that person’s arrival and it worries me.”  _ she admits to her companion. 

_ “Perhaps she knows more about this mysterious guest.”  _ she points at Dorothea.  _ “Then again, even if she knew she probably wouldn’t tell you. She seems very loyal to Edelgard. Besides, Edelgard has the Dark Bishop with her and he seems pretty capable of keeping her safe within the castle walls.”  _

Byleth nods in agreement. 

Still, that didn’t mean she was completely comfortable with having been left behind since she knew Edelgard had done so for a reason. 

“That’s exactly what I’m talking about!” Dorothea laughs as she unknowingly interrupts Byleth’s conversation with Sothis. 

“My apologies.” Byleth says honestly as she realizes she had stopped paying attention to Dorothea. 

“Can’t change who you are.” the magician shrugs. “And although you may not be the most open person I’ve met, I have to admit that our skills have improved dramatically since you started teaching us. I’m thankful for that.” 

“It’s because of your hard work and dedication.” she smiles at her. “Her Majesty is lucky to have such loyal and good friends.” 

Dorothea blushes. 

“I would say Edie is the lucky one to have found such a talented and interesting warrior.” the brunette compliments her back. “One has to wonder if it was a coincidence at all.” 

_ “Is she really saying what I think she’s saying?”  _ Sothis fumes as she stares at the magician.  _ “I thought she was over suspecting us.”  _

_ “I thought so too.”  _ Byleth agrees but looks at Dorothea. “I thought I had already proven my loyalty to Edelgard.” 

“To me you have.” Dorothea agrees and smiles apologetically. “Others may be harder to convince.” 

_ Others like Hubert,  _ Byleth thinks and knows Dorothea had done the same. 

“But me saying that by no means was me accusing you of anything. It was just the actress in me that spoke out-loud, wondering if the two of you meeting was the Goddess’ will.” 

“The Goddess’ will?” Byleth murmurs. “I wonder…” she looks up at the sky. “If such a Goddess were to exist, I don’t think she would favor me very much.” 

“And what makes you say that?” Dorothea asks curiously. 

“I’ve done too many terrible things to deserve such favor.” 

Dorothea gulps at this statement. 

_ “Scare her more, won’t you?”  _ Sothis admonishes her.  _ “You’re supposed to be building trust between the Black Eagles and you so they stop going to Edelgard for everything. As a way to lessen her responsibilities, remember?”  _

Byleth nods apologetically. 

“But even if that wasn’t the case, I wouldn’t wish to depend on her.” she says determined. 

“Can I ask why?” Dorothea stares at her. 

“Because if she had that much power over my life, then I can’t exactly be the owner of my destiny, can I?” Byleth smiles at her. 

“And is that what you want? To be the owner of your own destiny?” 

“Don’t you?” she asks her curiously. “Isn’t that why you joined Her Majesty? To go against the beliefs of the Church and the people who benefit from them?” 

Dorothea nods. 

“Then you’re already doing more for yourself than what the Goddess and the church could have done for you.” 

Dorothea stares at her. 

“You hate the church, don’t you?” she asks her knowingly. “I can tell because I feel the same way. Like me, you’re good at hiding it too.” 

Byleth nods, knowing she can’t lie about this. 

“I won’t ask you what happened that made you hate the church so much.” the brunette tells her with a sad smile. “And I know you won’t ask me that question as well.” 

The mercenary chuckles. 

“Still, it’s nice to hear that you have a reason for being here apart from watching Edelgard. That you believe in our cause.” 

“I wouldn’t have accepted Her Majesty’s offer if I didn’t believe in what she said and planned to do.” 

“Oh really?” Dorothea smirks. “And here I thought you accepted it because of Edelgard herself.” 

Now Byleth is the one blushing. 

“Oh, I was guessing there but it seems like I may have been onto something.” the brunette smiles. 

_ “She’s good.”  _ Sothis compliments her. 

_ “Don’t you even start.”  _ she warns the green-haired girl. “And I don’t know what you mean, Dorothea.” 

“Of course not.” she chuckles. “Don’t worry Professor, your secret is safe with me.” she nods to the guards in front of the studio who nod and open the doors for them to step in. 

As they make their way forward, they see Edelgard sitting on her desk, piles and piles of paper and maps surrounding her in what was an organized chaos, if such a thing was even possible. 

“Ehem.” Dorothea says and this gets her the attention of the Emperor, who looks surprised but then smiles at them, her eyes lingering on Byleth for a little longer and her smile relaxing and becoming more prominent. 

“Oh…” Dorothea murmurs. “How interesting indeed.” 

_ “Interesting indeed.”  _ Sothis agrees and Byleth wonders what the green haired girl means with that. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you come in.” Edelgard apologizes as she motions for them to get closer. “Thank you for coming so quickly.”

“Of course Edie.” Dorothea smiles at her. “All of us were a little anxious when you suddenly left the courtyard.” she tells her. “Even the professor seemed a little nervous.” 

Edelgard stares at her, a soft smile on her face at the notion of Byleth being concerned for her. 

“It’s my duty to protect Her Majesty, so of course I will be nervous about not being around her to do so.” Byleth argues but knows she’s definitely blushing. 

Dorothea and Sothis chuckle at this explanation, making the mercenary blush even more. 

“Oh stop it Dorothea.” Edelgard says with a soft blush as well. “And I apologize for making you worry, Byleth.” she stares at Byleth. “This meeting was with an ally and I knew I would have enough protection with Hubert there.” 

_ “She’s not telling us the whole truth.”  _ Sothis warns her.  _ “I know you also saw the way she reacted when she mentioned the guest was an ally.”  _

Byleth agrees, having been paying attention to Edelgard and noticing the same thing Sothis did. 

_ Just what are you hiding, Edelgard? _

“And I bet that something came out from that ally’s visit and that’s why you called both of us?” Dorothea surmises. 

“Indeed.” the Emperor says seriously. “Which is why I need to ask the two of you a favor.” she stares at Byleth. “Today we received a tip that could shift the way the war is going but we don’t trust the source.” she admits. “Yet if their tip proves to be true…” she stares at them. “It could mean us marching and recovering Arianrhod.” 

This statement makes Byleth and Dorothea open their eyes in shock. 

There was a reason Arianrhod was called the Fortress City: Everyone knew that you couldn’t invade Arianrhod because it had been specifically built by the Empire to prevent invasions from Faerghus. Yet when its construction was complete, House Rowe revolted and joined Faerghus, making the fortress a bulwark against invasions from Adrestia. Not only that, but it was located in a way that allowed the soldiers in the fortress to see when enemies approached, eliminating the possibility of surprise attacks. 

Edelgard knew all of this, of course, but with the schematics Arundel had given her... If they turned out to be true then it would mean that there was a clear path that the Strike Force could use to enter the citadel and take it over. 

She would be able to recover Arianrhod. 

“No one has ever invaded Arianrhod.” Byleth says. “Its defenses are unparalleled and the location of the fortress makes it impossible to reach without getting discovered.” 

“The Professor is right.” Dorothea says. “Yet you must have a good reason to believe such a feat is possible. Is the information really that good?” 

Edelgard nods. 

“But like I said, I don’t trust its source. Another thing that worries me is that they were able to obtain this information and give it to me.” 

“Which means that your ally must have a mole in Arianrhod.” Byleth realizes what Edelgard is trying to say. “And you’re doubting the information because of that.” 

Edelgard nods. 

“I want to confirm that these schematics are correct.” she tells them firmly. “And in order to do so, I need the two of you to go to Fhirdiad to talk with our spy there.” 

_ She has a spy on Faerghus as well?  _ Byleth is pleasantly surprised. 

_ “She is very well prepared and intelligent to not rush into battle.”  _ Sothis muses.  _ “It is wise of her to wish to confirm the information before acting on it.” _

Byleth nods. 

“And you chose us since the two of us are the only ones that don’t have any royal responsibilities and duties that would miss us.” Dorothea chuckles. 

“You two are the only ones that wouldn’t be noticed if you go away for a few days.” Edelgard corrects her. “Which is precisely what I need.” 

“Because of the spy at Enbarr. You don’t want them to realize we’re gone.” Byleth surmises. 

“Indeed. And although the Professor’s absence will be noticed, I will not send you alone Dorothea. Byleth is more than capable of aiding and keeping you safe.”

“But my duty is to protect you.” Byleth murmurs and this makes Edelgard stare solemnly at her. 

_ “So it seems like the time has come for you to decide how involved you will get in this war Byleth.”  _ Sothis says solemnly.  _ “Because what Edelgard is asking you now is no longer protection duties. She’s asking you to spy and infiltrate another kingdom in the name of the Empire.”  _

Byleth knows Sothis is right. She had hoped she would have more time before it came to this, but, with what Edelgard was asking of her right now… 

It would mean that she needs to choose a side. 

“I know it is.” Edelgard smiles sadly at her. “When I offered you this job, it was to just guard and protect me. Me asking you to do this is completely different. And…” she closes her eyes. “I would understand if you don’t want to accept this mission.” 

Byleth stares at Edelgard. 

“But this is the path I’m taking, Byleth. Me going to invade Arianrhod or any other place will happen soon enough. I will be on the battlefield.” Edelgard tells her firmly. “Which means that if you choose to stay by my side, so will you.” the Emperor takes a deep breath. “You would need to fight.” 

Staring at Edelgard, Byleth smiles sadly, having expected and still feeling thankful for the Emperor’s honesty and candor. 

“Do you wish me to fight for you, Your Majesty?” Byleth asks her solemnly. “To use my abilities and powers in your favor? To help you win this war?” 

“I would be foolish to say otherwise after first handedly seeing your skills.” Edelgard chuckles. “But this isn’t about what  _ I  _ want, Byleth. This is about what you want.” 

“What if I don’t know what I want to do?” Byleth tells her honestly. 

Edelgard smiles sadly at her. 

“Is there really nothing you wish for?” she asks her softly. 

_ There is…  _ a small voice whispers to her. 

Something that, in comparison to the war happening around them, is so insignificant. Yet to Byleth, it was the only thing that mattered enough to her. It had been what had made her say yes to Edelgard the first time. What had made her open up to the Emperor and share some of her secrets with her. 

What had made her sacrifice her life for Edelgard without a second thought at Sauin village. 

It was Edelgard. 

She wanted to stay with Edelgard. 

_ “That’s very selfish of you.”  _ Sothis laughs.  _ “Yet so expected.”  _

_ ”Is it wrong of me to desire this?”  _ Byleth asks her vulnerably. 

Sothis shakes her head. 

_ “We are all selfish.”  _ she tells her softly.  _ “Just like I’m selfish in asking you to help me remember who I am and how Edelgard is selfish in asking you to make a decision… We will all do what we have to do for the causes we believe in. And, it seems like you believe in her.”  _

In Edelgard… 

Yet one small part of her still thought that it would be so easy to refuse and leave; to go back to how her life was before she met Edelgard. Her old self would have chosen that option without any hesitation. Yet here she was hesitating, wondering if she could actually stay. If she supported Edelgard, not only would she remain with the first person that had seen her as a friend but she would also get revenge against that monster. 

And if they were even capable of defeating that monster…

Byleth would be truly free. 

She believed Edelgard could do it. 

_ “I sense you’ve reached a decision, Byleth.”  _ Sothis says to her.  _ “Are you sure you want to walk this path? I’ve seen what that monster did to you, and believe me, you deserve revenge.”  _ she states.  _ “But once you go down this path, you’ll have to stay in it until the end.”  _ she stares at Byleth.  _ “Will you do it?”  _

“When I accepted your offer, I told you I wasn’t exactly sure why I did it.” Byleth says. “The time I’ve spent at Enbarr has made me realize that the longer I stay here, the more involved I’ll be in the war. That it won’t stop at me protecting you from assassins, spies or bandits but that I’ll have to kill for and in your name, Your Majesty.” 

This makes Edelgard stare at her, a small amount of sadness and fear in her expression. 

“A month ago I would have refused and left without looking back. Now I can't do that. I’ve seen and heard too much to turn my back on things. I want to protect you, Edelgard.” she says bluntly and can see how this makes Edelgard flush. “So if that means that I will have to spy, fight or kill for you then I will do it. I will stay. I will help you win this war, Edelgard.” she bows once. “My loyalty belongs to you, Emperor Edelgard von Hresvelg.” 

Looking up at Edelgard, she sees the way the Emperor is smiling at her, the sight making Byleth’s heart beat erratically yet again. 

_ I also can’t leave without figuring out what this means…  _

“Hearing you say that.” Edelgard tells her warmly. “Makes me really happy, Byleth.” she grabs her hands. “And I promise to not let you down.” she vows. 

“I know you won’t, Your Majesty.” she smiles and notices Edelgard blushing at the sight. 

_ “Interesting.”  _ Sothis smirks. 

“Not that I didn’t appreciate witnessing your loyalty vow.” Dorothea teases them. “But I believe we still need to be briefed about our departure time and where we’ll meet the spy?” 

“Right!” the Emperor exclaims and rushes to her seat behind the desk. “I have all the information ready for you to read.” 

_ “So you chose to involve us in a war.”  _ Sothis groans and Byleth focuses on her. 

_ “I’m sorry.”  _ she apologizes honestly.  _ “It’s not fair for you to be involved in a conflict that has nothing to do with you.”  _

_ “I don’t think that’s the case.”  _ she murmurs. “ _ I believe…”  _ she closes her eyes.  _ “No, I know that I’ll find answers about who I am following this path.”  _

_ “How can you know that?”  _

_ “A feeling?”  _ Sothis shrugs.  _ “Just be grateful that I’ll stick around to make sure you don’t die from foolish heroics.”  _

Byleth chuckles at this, knowing that the decision she had just taken was going to change her life forever. 

* * *

“I know you are capable of taking care of yourself.” Petra says softly as she helps Dorothea prepare her bag. “But be careful?” 

Dorothea stops putting her stuff away and stares at the Brigid woman who was squeezing her hands tightly. 

“I promise you I’ll be careful.” she gets closer to Petra and hugs her tight. “Besides, the professor will be with me the whole time.” 

“I know.” Petra hugs her tighter. “That does not mean I will not worry about you.” she admits. “It is strange. That I am not going with you.” 

“Is it?” the brunette smiles at her. “Imagine how I feel when it’s you the one that leaves.” 

Petra opens her eyes in surprise. 

“I see.” the purple-haired assassin says. “I still do not like it.” 

Dorothea laughs. 

“Please come back to me?” Petra whispers as she hides her face so that Dorothea doesn’t see how scared she is. “I do not know what I would do if something happened to you.” 

Dorothea is surprised by that statement yet also can’t stop herself from feeling happy about it. When it came to Petra, it was difficult to know how the purple-haired woman felt. Not only that, but it seemed like she was always careful when it came to expressing herself to Dorothea. 

So to see and hear her be so open and honest… 

It made Dorothea happy. 

“I will always come back to you.” Dorothea promises her and moves away so that the two can look at each other. “I’m stubborn like that.” 

Petra laughs. 

“Indeed. One of the reasons I like you.” she admits and blushes from doing so. 

“Oh really?” Dorothea smirks and gets closer to Petra, who is doing her best to pretend she wasn’t feeling embarrassed. “You know, I’m still not gone and I already miss you, Petra.” 

“But you cannot. You are still here.” 

“I know.” the brunette smiles. “Maybe if I do this…” she grabs Petra’s hand and kisses it softly, which in return makes the warrior blush. “Maybe I’ll miss you a little less.” 

“Did it work?” Petra asks her honestly as she feels the brunette’s lips leave her hand. 

“Not at all.” Dorothea tells her honestly and is about to say more but a knock at her door stops her from doing so. “That must be the professor.” she smiles at Petra. “I’ll be going.” she grabs her bag and is ready to head out. 

“Wait!” Petra stops her before she’s able to open the door. 

“Did I forget…” Dorothea says but freezes at the feeling of Petra’s lips on her cheek, the softness of them making her blush and feel as if she was going to have a heart attack. 

And, just as quickly as the kiss had started, she felt Petra pulling back, her face probably just as flushed as hers was. 

“So that I miss you a little less.” Petra says softly and the sight almost makes Dorothea swoon. “I will be waiting for you.” she smiles at her and pushes the door open, noticing the professor calmly waiting outside. 

“Are you ready Dorothea?” she asks the brunette who only nods and steps back, the blush from earlier still on her face. 

Byleth is curious about it but chooses to not ask them any questions now. The longer they stayed in the palace with their bags and travel clothes on, the higher the possibility the spy would see them. 

Entering the magician’s room, she notices that Petra was calmly standing guard, making sure no one would try to enter or interrupt them. 

Good thinking. 

Yet it seemed like Dorothea wasn’t preparing her spell or anything of the sort. 

“Dorothea?” Byleth asks her. “Did you forget that you need to warp us to the gate?” she reminds the brunette which finally makes her react. 

“Of course! My apologies professor!” she stutters a little which only makes Byleth wonder if something had happened between those two. 

_ “It had to.”  _ Sothis smirks.  _ “The brunette is a mess. Something had to happen.”  _

Nodding in agreement, she waves Petra goodbye and steps close to Dorothea, who puts her hand on top of her shoulder and prepares to activate the spell. 

“Ready Professor?” she asks the bluenette who nods. 

The moment she does, she feels herself warping, the discomfort of being sucked out of a place to then be transported somewhere else making her have to breathe multiple times. 

“It takes time to get used to.” Dorothea says knowingly. “But it is the best way to move without being noticed.” 

Byleth nods in agreement. 

“Now then, just like Edelgard told us, Randolph made sure there were no guards at the south entrance so that we could slip out. A change in locations to train the soldiers.” Dorothea reminds her. 

“Just in the case the spy is listening and looking at the soldiers as well.” Byleth remembers Edelgard explaining that to them. “She really thinks of everything.” 

“That’s Edie alright.” Dorothea adds proudly as the two of them walk towards the south entrance, mingling with the townsfolk that were visiting the markets within the palace. “After we pass the main gate, we can go ahead and make our way to a vendor to get two horses.” 

“I would prefer if we could walk to the next town to do so.” Byleth tells her. “Less probabilities of them recognizing us there than here.” 

“You’re right.” Dorothea says and the two of them make it into the capital. “How far away is the next town?” 

“Two hours away walking.” Byleth says knowingly. That town had been the last place she had stayed at before Edelgard and her crossed paths.

“That’s not too far.” the magician is relieved. “And a walk doesn’t sound bad at all on such a nice day.” 

* * *

“Just where is she?” the spy thinks as they walk around the courtyard. “Just where did the professor go?” 

Muttering and doing their best to not look suspicious, the mole had been surprised when he realized the new instructor of the Black Eagles was gone. In fact, they had only heard about it when the castle soldiers gossiped about it. saying that it wasn’t surprising that the professor already missed a day of class. 

“All those compliments and special treatment for her to miss class.” they had said upset and continued their routes, the spy panicking at the information and rushing to the practice courtyard to confirm it.

And, just like those soldiers had said, there was no sight of Byleth at the courtyard, with only the blue haired boy and the princess from Brigid actually doing some training. 

_ If I don’t find out where she is he will kill me,  _ they panic as they start going around the castle in search of clues, rushing through the many common areas in hopes of hearing some kind of gossip that would give him a lead about her whereabouts. 

“You two!” they stop as they watch two soldiers freeze. “Just what do you think you’re doing?” 

“Our patrol?” one of them asks. 

“You fools! Weren’t you paying attention when General Randolph changed the routes today?” he scolds them.

“You’re right!” the other guard says apologetically. “Something about concentrating our groups on the north, east and west gates since they’re the most populated ones.” 

_ The south gate!  _ they realize and run towards it, hiding themselves with their magic. 

When they arrive at the south gate, they manage to make out the Professor and the commoner magician walking towards the market, most probably in hopes of hiding themselves from people. 

_ If I lose them here I’m done,  _ they gulp and move to follow as well, knowing that there was no other choice in the matter. 

Yet before they’re even able to take a step forward, they feel their feet remain on the ground, almost as if something was holding them down. Looking downwards, it takes all they have to not scream at the sight of dark tendrils and creatures beneath them, the sight straight out of a nightmare. 

They knew exactly to whom this magic belonged to. 

“Would you look at that?” a familiar voice says from the shadows and they watch as Hubert, the royal vassal and Dark Bishop, makes his way towards them. “Seems like My Majesty’s suspicions were correct.” 

“I’m sorry?” they pretend to be confused. “I was just making my way to the market, von Vestra. I didn’t mean to offend you.” 

“I haven’t been offended.” he smirks darkly. “In fact, I’m quite happy I ran into you today, Baron Ochs. For you see, Her Majesty Edelgard von Hresvelg has many questions for you.” 

That’s the last thing Baron Ochs hears before he closes his eyes, the spell von Vestra had thrown at him having absorbed his magic and energy. 

He had been too careless and now he was going to pay for it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Art by the incredible @wakeru-art! Check them out on Instagram, Twitter and Tumblr!   
> Instagram: wakeru_ Twitter: @_wakeru_


	14. Arrival to Fhirdiad and a Foiled Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following their meeting with Edelgard, Byleth and Dorothea make their way to Fhirdiad where they're planning to meet with the Emperor's spy. Back at Enbarr, things are not looking well for Baron Ochs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A day earlier but I'm excited to see what you all think about this chapter! :)

This wasn’t the first time he had woken up to the sight of darkness and the smell of moldy humidity around him. Unfortunately, it had become somewhat expected for him to find himself in conditions such as this one. 

Such a fall from the man he had been many years ago. 

Groaning as he tries to sit up, Baron Ochs notices that his hands and feet are tied, making it impossible for him to change his position. Not only that, but he was strangely all out of magic, which stopped him from wrapping out of this place. 

“Any attempt to flee or ask for help is futile.” Hubert tells him from outside the cell, which makes Baron Ochs realize he’s not alone. 

“Where am I?” he groans. “Just what do you think you’re doing, von Vestra? Kidnapping a baron in the middle of the day for no reason whatsoever? Are you insane?! You will regret this the moment the other noble houses hear about this misunderstanding!” 

“Misunderstanding?” Hubert smirks. “It seems you’re the one not understanding things, Baron Ochs. You’re being accused of acting as a spy, you see.” 

_How could they know?!_

“A spy?” he cackles. “That’s preposterous! My loyalty is to the Empire and our Emperor.” 

The moment he says that he feels a claw marking his skin, blood immediately pouring out of the wound. 

“Do not dare mock the Emperor in front of me.” Hubert threatens him and for the first time since their conversation started, Baron Ochs felt that the man in front of him would truly kill him. “Believe me, if it were up to me, you’ll already be dead.” he says simply. “But Her Majesty wants to proceed differently.” 

“Differently?” he asks and feels magic surrounding him, the pressure of it not being his own giving him nausea as Hubert’s hand touches his shoulder and wraps the two of them to another room. 

Unlike the cell he was just in, this room was nicer, no foul smell or putrid sights around it. 

In fact, the only thing in the room was a chair that had Emperor Edelgard sitting on it. 

“Your Majesty.” Hubert bows and lowers his head so he bows as well. “I’ve brought the spy to you just like I promised.” 

“Indeed.” she says coldly and notices the wound on his stomach. “I did ask for him to not be injured if possible.” 

“It was inevitable.” Hubert shrugs and the Emperor nods before focusing on him. 

“To think that you are the mole, Baron Ochs. How disappointing.” 

“My Majesty, this is all a misunderstanding. I promise you.” 

“Do not try to lie to me, Baron.” she groans. “We found incriminating evidence in your room.”

 _That can’t be,_ he thinks. He had made sure there was nothing that could reveal his true identity. 

“When you broke into the Professor’s room, you stepped into a powder that only reacts once a spell is used to activate it. The Professor told us about it and taught Hubert the spell to use it. All so that once we caught our suspect we would be able to confirm if they were guilty or not.” she chuckles. “Your room was full of footprints, Baron Ochs.’ 

Knowing there was nothing else he could do in terms of claiming his innocence, he looks away from the Emperor, awaiting for her sentencing. 

“Why would you betray me, Baron Ochs? Did I do something that merited such a thing?” 

“Not at all!” he says immediately. “Your Majesty is the best thing that has happened to Adrestia and I’m proud you’re our Emperor.” 

“And yet you still betrayed me.” 

“I had no choice.” he whispers. “They would have killed me if I didn’t agree to their deal.” he looks down. “They got in contact with me years before you declared war on the church, Your Majesty.” he sniffles. “They kidnapped and killed my Monica.” 

Edelgard and Hubert stare at each other knowingly. 

Monica von Ochs had disappeared from Garreg Mach a year before the two became students there. Not only was her disappearance unique, but so was her reappearance, with the Black Eagles finding her below the Monastery following Flayn’s abduction, which was orchestrated by the Agarthans. 

Of course, whom they ended up finding wasn’t the Monica everyone knew. It was an impostor that wore Monica’s skin as a mask to do as they wished around Garreg Mach. 

A feat only Those Who Slither in the Dark could achieve. 

“When they told me that they had my daughter, they said that I would only see her again if I gave them Vajra-Mushti.” Baron Ochs admits. “And I did it. I stole the relic and gave it to them in exchange for Monica. But when I saw her again…” 

“She wasn’t the Monica you knew.” Edelgard finishes for him. “It was someone completely different.” 

‘You know…” Baron Ochs says surprised. “How do you know?” 

“That’s something I don’t have to tell you.” the Emperor is firm. “But what I can tell you is that the people you’re working for are the ones that killed her.” 

“I know that as well.” he cries bitterly. “Do you think I enjoy doing the bidding of monsters like them?” he screams at her. “I hate it. But I also have no choice because you have no idea what they can do, Your Majesty. The monsters they are and the technology they have.” 

“I know.” Edelgard tells him darkly. “I’ve seen it too.” 

“Then you understand why I betrayed you.” 

‘I do.” she says to his surprise. “Which is why I’m offering you a deal as well.” 

“A deal?” the older man asks surprised. 

“Become _my_ mole.” Edelgard tells him with a smile. “Spy on them for me.” 

“Are you crazy?! They will kill me if they discover that I’m working for you.” 

“Then I will kill you now.” Edelgard says simply as she grabs her axe. “Either way, you are a dead man.” she lowers her weapon. “But think about this, Baron Ochs: Would you rather die now by my hand, without anyone noticing your absence… Or, will you help me destroy those monsters? Will you help me bring them down?”

Baron Ochs stares at the woman in front of him, knowing she meant every word she had said to him. Edelgard was going for them, and she was planning on destroying them. 

“I’m a coward, Your Majesty.” Baron Ochs looks away. “Rather than wish for death after learning my daughter’s fate, I was terrified of those monsters and chose to stay their servant out of fear for my life.” he laughs bitterly. “Is a man like that the one you want to use as your spy?” 

“You’re the only one I have, Baron Ochs.” Edelgard is honest with him. “And I won’t say you’re not a coward because you are.” she tells him firmly. “But even cowards can wish for revenge, which is what I’m offering you with this deal.” she smiles darkly at him. “A chance to get revenge for your daughter and you, Baron Ochs.” 

_Revenge,_ he thinks as the word becomes sweeter and warmer within him the more he repeats it in his head. 

_I like the sound of that._

* * *

After buying their horses at the neighboring town, Byleth and Dorothea made their way to Fhirdiad, traveling the routes and forests carefully but surely. Since Byleth had already traveled to the Kingdom’s capital using this precise route, the two women were able to make it faster than normally, alternating between horses and magic to accelerate their pace. 

Although Edelgard had told them that their priority was to safely make it to Fhirdiad and then return to Enbarr, both Byleth and Dorothea wanted to return to the noble’s side as soon as possible.

Not only were they aware that a month had already gone by since Dimitri threatened to attack the Empire; but they also needed to warn Edelgard as soon as possible if attacking Arianrhod was plausible or not. And, the only way they would be able to do so was by actually going into Arianrhod and comparing the place with the maps Edelgard’s spy had given her. 

Which was why they needed to make contact with Edelgard’s spy at Fhirdiad. 

They would be their way into Arianrhod. 

_Flashback_

“So the reason you need us to go all the way to Fhirdiad is so we can meet with your spy there Edie?” Dorothea asks the Emperor curiously. 

Edelgard nods. 

“Because we still haven’t been able to confirm if we have a mole at the castle, I’ve decided to not send any type of written or oral communication to our spy. Not only aren’t we certain of the message safely making its way to them, but now that we’ve confirmed that my mole has their own spy in Arianrhod, it’s safe for us to assume that it may be the same in Fhirdiad. The last thing I want is to let them know I’m suspicious of their motives and the maps themselves.” 

Byleth and Dorothea nod in understanding. It made sense for Edelgard to be extra careful with her next steps, meaning that the only safe way for her to make contact with her spy was by sending someone she trusted to meet with them. 

“Because we don’t want to risk our enemies discovering their identity, we haven’t warned them that you’re coming.” Edelgard tells them seriously. 

“Then how will they know we are looking to talk to them and that you sent us, Your Majesty?” Byleth asks. 

“That’s why Dorothea has to go with you, Byleth. The moment my spy sees her at Fhirdiad, they will know it’s because I sent her.” 

Dorothea stares at Edelgard, opening her eyes in surprise at the implication of Edelgard’s statement. 

“The spy is one of our former classmates at Garreg Mach.” Dorothea realizes why she needs to go to Fhirdiad with Byleth. “Edie, how were you able to get one of the Blue Lions to become your mole?” she asks, surprised. 

“The Blue Lions?” Byleth asks. 

“An unit similar to the Black Eagles conformed by students that came from Faerghus.” Edelgard explains to her. “Just like I was the leader of the Black Eagles during my time at Garreg Mach, Dimitri was the leader of the Blue Lions and Claude was the leader of the Golden Deer. When the war started, the three of us returned to our homes and our classmates followed us back, offering to aid us during the war.” 

“Yet during your time at Garreg Mach you were also able to persuade people like Lysithea to join your cause.” Byleth murmurs. “Is it really that surprising that Her Majesty was able to get someone from the Blue Lions to aid her?” 

Dorothea nods. 

“Faerghus and the Empire don’t have a good history between them. After Faerghus betrayed the Empire and declared war on us, it was only because they had the support of the Archbishop that they were able to claim independence from us.” Edelgard explains. 

“Not only that but the Blue Lions themselves were very loyal to Dimitri during our year at Garreg Mach. Hard not to when Dimitri was so kind and welcoming. Which makes his decline even sadder.” the brunette says sadly. 

“Dimitri was not the man everyone now knows as the Boar during our year at Garreg Mach.” Edelgard explains to Byleth. “He only came to earn that nickname when the war started and his inner demons made their way out of him.” she looks downwards. 

“I’ve heard the stories as well.” Byleth tells them. “How he lusts for blood when he’s on the battlefield and kills his enemies indiscriminately.”

 _“How sad.”_ Sothis says softly. _“To have been lost in the throes of war and becoming someone completely different to the person you once were.”_

“Many think it’s because of the war that Dimitri lost his mind.” Edelgard adds as if she had heard what Sothis had just said inside Byleth’s mind. “But Dimitri experienced a traumatic event during his youth that many close to him believe is the one that caused him to have these bursts of violence and bloodlust.” she looks at Byleth solemnly. “Which is why the friends and allies he made at Garreg Mach are scared for him. And of him.” 

Dorothea nods in agreement. 

“Even during our days at Garreg Mach, whenever I spoke to him, it was as if a part of me could sense the darkness within him. He never did anything to me.” she clarifies. “But it was always there, lingering.” she stares at Edelgard. “I assume your spy also saw this and got scared enough to talk to you about it?” 

Edelgard nods. 

“In a way.” she says. “To be honest with you, my motives for telling them my plans were not out of trust. Not at the time.” she adds. “It was out of convenience for both of us. This person wanted a way to escape from their duty and responsibilities.” she tells them. “And I needed a spy.” 

“You said that was how your relationship with them started.” Byleth says. “Did it change after that?” she asks and is surprised by how desperate she was to know more about this person that Edelgard trusted. 

“After we talked more, we realized we had a lot in common. Once misunderstandings were corrected and explanations were given, I found myself trusting them.” Edelgard tells her. “Not once have I asked them to aid us.” she admits to them. “Because I’ve wanted to keep our connection a secret from everyone. But I’m afraid we need them for this mission.” 

_Their connection,_ Byleth repeated the words Edelgard said, yet again feeling something within her sting at the significance of the Emperor describing the spy in such a way.

 _“That feeling you have on your chest right now… The need to know what this stranger means to Edelgard... “_ Sothis stares at her solemnly. _“It’s jealousy, Byleth.”_

_Her jealous?_

There was no way that would happen. 

Right? 

_End of Flashback_

As much as Byleth wanted to think that what Edelgard had told them about the spy didn’t affect her, the mercenary knew better than that. That uncomfortable sensation in her chest came back when she thought about it, upsetting her more and more with each passing day. 

“You know...” Dorothea breaks the silence as they’re riding side by side. “When Edelgard told us that she had a spy, I got upset.” the brunette admits to her, which makes Byleth focus on the conversation. 

“Why did it upset you?” she asks. 

“Because this meant that Edie had told someone else her plans before she told us. Before she told me.” she emphasizes with a sad smile. 

“Were the two of you close during your year at Garreg Mach?” 

“I always liked Edie. She wasn’t like any of the other nobles at Garreg Mach or the ones I met during my opera days. She was honest, brazen, outspoken, hard-working and blunt to the point of some considering it rude. It was refreshing.” she smiles warmly. “But she was also guarded. Mistrustful. Always keeping her distance from us.” she looks up. “At the time I didn’t understand why, but I assume she didn’t want to get close to us because of what she was going to do.” 

“Declare war on the church?” 

Dorothea nods. 

“She probably knew the church would interrogate us if we decided to stay at Garreg Mach, so to spare us from all that she chose to keep her distance from us.” the brunette explains. “Imagine her surprise when we instead chose to follow her.” 

Byleth could, based on the conversations the two of them had had, sense that Edelgard felt distant from the rest of the Black Eagles. That there was a part of her that still didn’t comprehend why her friends had chosen to join her. 

Which was something that baffled Byleth because after meeting her, interacting and spending time with Edelgard it was difficult to not understand and wish to support her. 

“I know that even after two years of us making our decision, Edie still can’t see why we all chose her.” Dorothea says sadly. 

_“It’s almost as if she read your mind.”_ Sothis adds in her head and Byleth nods. 

“But that’s just the way Edie is: It takes time and patience to get to the real her.” she gives her a knowing look. “Probably from the pressure of being the princess and now Emperor; of her wanting to spare the people around her of such burdens.” 

“That…” Byleth starts saying but stops as she notices that they’re near the outskirts of Fhirdiad and more carriages and horses were surrounding them. 

_That sounds so lonely,_ she was going to say. 

_“But familiar as well, right?”_ Sothis murmurs knowingly, not difficult for either of them to find the similarities Edelgard and Byleth shared. 

Which is what made being around the noble woman so refreshing and welcoming to Byleth. Edelgard understood and gave her the option to open up and trust as much as she could. 

“She understands because she knows.” Byleth whispers. 

“Sorry what?” Dorothea asks her. 

“Nothing.” the mercenary smiles and points towards a store where they could sell their horses. It was better if they changed their horses and clothes just in case a spy or tracker was following them. 

Nodding, Dorothea pulls her horse to follow Byleth’s, the two women calmly making the sale and then heading back to the route that would take them into the capital’s main square area. 

Watching all the people around them, Byleth makes sure she can notice if anyone is acting suspicious, not expecting but still wanting to be ready for any type of attack. Not only had the two left Enbarr without anyone knowing but they also arrived to Fhirdiad days before their expected date. 

All because they had pushed themselves a little harder than usual so they could return to the capital as soon as possible. 

“I hope you’re feeling better after our talk.” Dorothea says to her as she gets closer. “When we were riding it seemed like you were thinking too hard about something.” 

_“Because she was.”_ Sothis responds to the brunette, who of course can't hear her. _“Hasn’t been able to stop thinking about Edelgard and what she means to her.”_

 _“Stop it.”_ she warns the girl who pouts at her but does as asked, retreating back into her mind. 

“I…” Byleth chuckles. “You saw right through me.” she admits. “But yeah, your words made me feel better.” 

“I’m glad to hear that.” Dorothea tells her honestly. “And I know this is none of my business…” she smirks at her. “But I can tell that _she_ likes you, Byleth.” 

“ _She_ does?” the mercenary asks, knowing it wasn’t a good idea to mention the name of the Adrestian Emperor in Faerghus territory. 

“I’ve never seen her act like this with anyone else that isn’t a part of our group.” the brunette confesses to her. “And she’s not the only one. We like you as well, Professor.” 

Byleth is touched by this, knowing that the smile she has on her face now is bigger than all the ones she had given to the brunette. 

“I like you all as well.” she smiles and continues walking with Dorothea, both choosing to remain silent during the rest of the walk, both staring at the many sights of the kingdom’s capital. 

“This is my first time in Fhirdiad.” Dorothea breaks their comfortable silence the further they make it inside the capitol. “Heard from some soldiers I dated at Garreg Mach that this is the biggest and most popular city in Faerghus. And that a lot of nobility lives here.” she says this last part mockingly. 

“Not surprising, considering the capital is where the king is.” Byleth says. “They’re probably here to try to gain favor or increase their personal influence.” 

“Nobles are the same everywhere.” Dorothea stares ahead. “But I’ve also met nobles who are the complete opposite and work hard. Like Edie, Bernadetta and Ferdinand.” she chuckles. “Also, being here in Fhirdiad reminded me of this one classmate I met at Garreg Mach who was from Faerghus. What surprised me was that even though she was a noble, she wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty and do the necessary work. I really liked her because of that.” she smiles. “She was so stubborn and loyal, always willing to put her friends and family first for their sake. To see how far she was willing to go for her family and friends… It was very admirable to me, who did the opposite and put myself first before joining Edie.” 

“Do you know what happened to her after the war started?” Byleth is curious. 

“She joined King Dimitri and became a knight, I believe.” Dorothea tells her. “That was her dream, you know, to become a true knight.” she is going to add more but is stopped by Byleth, who squeezes her shoulder and points towards an alley, the sight of a person with a cape walking away getting their attention. 

Agreeing that the person seemed suspicious, Byleth and Dorothea make their way through that same alley, both keeping their hands free if they need to use magic or worse case scenario warp away to a safer location. 

Not wanting to rush, but also fastening their pace, Byleth and Dorothea stay on alert as they explore the alley, both not being able to see the stranger that had seemed to be staring at them as they were walking through the market. 

“Do you think…” Dorothea says but stops when she watches Byleth move behind her as she raises her sword, it now being pointed at that same caped person from earlier. 

“Who are you and why were you watching us?” Byleth asks seriously as she keeps an eye on the stranger.

Rather than give her an answer, the stranger tries to move forward, the sword nicking her neck as she attempts to get a better look at Dorothea, who was now doing the same. 

“Wait.” the brunette magician says as she notices familiar blonde hair and a lance at the stranger’s back. “It can’t be…” she whispers as she lowers Byleth’s sword with her hand and steps close enough to the stranger, who doesn’t move and just watches Dorothea lower her cape. “Ingrid.” 

“Dorothea…” the woman says in complete awe as she lowers her own cape, letting Byleth see beautiful short blonde hair and green eyes. “What are you doing here in Fhirdiad?” she then turns to look at Byleth for a moment. “Who is she?” she focuses on Dorothea and her look is one of panic. “Did something happen to _her?!_ Is that why you’re here?!” 

_Her…_ Byleth realizes quickly who the blonde woman was talking about. 

She was talking about Edelgard. 

And based on the way she was panicking at the thought of something happening to the Emperor, it was clear that they had found the Faerghus spy they needed to get in contact with. 

It was this woman named Ingrid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehehe, so I just did that :) 
> 
> I knew right from the start that I wanted Ingrid to be Edelgard's spy at Faerghus. I know they don't have an official Support but I've read so many stories where the two have such a bond that it made me want to do the same. Let me know what you all think :)


	15. The Knight Who Turned Into a Spy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After making contact with Edelgard's spy, who turned out to be Ingrid from the Blue Lions, Byleth and Dorothea follow the noblewoman to a secret hideout where the three plan on discussing their arrival to Fhirdiad and their motives for being there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays to all! New chapter up! Let me know what you all think and I hope you have a peaceful and calm time with your loved ones! Be well :)

Following Ingrid through many alleys and hidden passages, Byleth couldn’t help but want to know more about the strange woman now walking ahead of them. After the blonde had gotten over the shock of seeing Dorothea, she had asked them to follow her back to a hideout she had a couple of miles away from the area. 

“We should move somewhere more private before we start discussing your arrival to Fhirdiad.” she had said to them as she put her cape back on and asked the two of them to do the same. 

Staying close to Dorothea just in case something happened, Byleth focuses on remembering the route they were taking, hoping that this extra step would turn out to be unnecessary. 

Another thing that Byleth was noticing was how much quieter it was getting the further they went. From the sights, it seemed that they were moving away from the boisterous and wealthy market, going into what one could say was one of the poorer parts of the city. 

“It is.” Ingrid says to her which surprises Byleth. “Fhirdiad can seem like a wealthy and prosperous town to many if you use the main roads that lead to the palace.” she smiles sadly. “Yet step away from it and you’ll immediately notice the poverty and hunger many of its people experience.” 

_ “Did she just read my mind?”  _ she wonders as she nods and continues following Ingrid. 

_ “It’s your face. You were so surprised by the sudden change in scenery that it wasn’t hard to notice.”  _

“It’s just so different from Enbarr.” she whispers so that it’s only the four of them that can hear her. 

“Enbarr did look this way until recently.” Dorothea tells her. “But when Edelgard took control, she redistributed assets and wealth from smaller areas to aid the poorer towns.” 

“Not surprisingly, the nobility here is not happy nor willing to part ways with their comforts and extra wealth.” Ingrid chuckles. “And unlike Enbarr, our head of state has not been capable of controlling his nobles.” she murmurs as the mood grows somber around them. 

Thankfully, neither Byleth nor Dorothea needed to try to say anything else about the topic since it seemed like they had already arrived at their destination; a modest looking house that was surrounded by many similar ones. Watching Ingrid take out a small key, the three women make their way inside the house, making sure of closing the door and placing some safety and silence spells on it just in case. 

Once that was done, Byleth took her cape off, letting her blue hair out and exhaling as she placed the cape on a chair, wanting to take a short rest from all the walking they had done earlier that day. 

Dorothea, meanwhile, was also taking her cape off and hanging it on the door as she made her way to the kitchen with a smile on her face. 

“Can I go ahead and make us some tea?” she asks Ingrid, who was putting her lance away. 

“Please.” she says as she continues to remove her outerwear. “Also, don’t hesitate to make yourselves at home.” she stares at Byleth as she says this. “No one knows of this hideout so I don’t expect any visitors.” 

“You still like Chamomile, Ingrid?” Dorothea asks from the kitchen, the brunette woman boiling some water to prepare the tea. “And is that flavor okay with you too Byleth?” 

“That’s okay.” both women answer at the same time to Dorothea’s amusement. 

Once she’s done preparing the tea, she brings a tray with the necessary cups to the common area, making sure to pour each of them a cup before she grabs her own and takes a seat next to Byleth, who had stood up to grab herself a cup. 

“I’m sorry I wasn’t able to serve you.” Ingrid apologizes as she grabs her cup. ”I also apologize for the way I approached you at the alley. I thought I recognized Dorothea at the market and I wanted to make sure I was right before revealing myself to you two.” 

“You have nothing to apologize for.” Dorothea assures her. “Also, I think introductions need to be made between the two of you.” she stares at Byleth. “Byleth, this is Ingrid Brandol Galatea, daughter of Count Galatea and current Knight serving Dimitri.” 

The moment she says that Byleth connects the dots. 

“She’s the noble woman you were telling me about earlier. The one you admired.” she says and notices the way the two women blush. 

“Dorothea has always been very kind to me.” Ingrid smiles warmly at her. “During our year at Garreg Mach she cared and helped me a lot.” 

“You also were a very dear friend of mine.” the brunette tells her as she focuses on Byleth. “Ingrid, this is Byleth, the new instructor of the Black Eagle Strike Force.” 

“New instructor?” Ingrid asks curiously. “You must be very talented if Edelgard appointed you to such an important position.” 

“She is.” the brunette says proudly. “She is also able to keep up with Edie, which you know is a feat in itself.” 

“Indeed.” Ingrid laughs. “I remember during our academy days how Edelgard would ask me to train with her because she needed to blow off steam. Something about Ferdinand annoying her.” she stares at Dorothea. “Is he still doing that?” 

“All the time.” Dorothea smirks. “But he doesn’t escape from us teasing him in return.” 

“Did he finally tell von Vestra he likes him?” the blonde is amused. 

“It’s funny how everyone knows except those two.” Dorothea laughs as she says this. “Edelgard is completely amused by it.” 

“I can imagine.” Ingrid smiles sadly. “I’m very happy to hear you all doing well.” 

Both Byleth and Dorothea don’t miss the somber tone with which the blonde said this. 

“Thank you Ingrid.” the brunette says honestly. “It is hard to believe two years have gone by since we graduated.” 

“Time does fly.” Ingrid murmurs. “Specially when we are in the middle of a war.” she brings up the reason they were here in Fhirdiad. “Please tell me nothing has happened to Edelgard and that she’s doing well.” 

“She is.” Dorothea promises her. “Just as stubborn and fierce as she has always been.”

Ingrid smiles at this. 

“That’s good to hear. When I recognized you and realized you were here, I thought that something must have happened for her to send you.” she looks at her tea. “It has been two years already since I swore my loyalty to her, yet not once has she asked me for a favor.” 

“She wanted to protect you.” Byleth is the one that says this to Dorothea’s surprise. “By keeping your identity a complete secret, she didn’t want to compromise your position at Faerghus and put you in danger without a good enough reason.” 

“So the fact that the two of you are here now must mean she has found a good enough reason?” Ingrid asks them knowingly. 

The two Adrestian fighters nod, remembering what Edelgard had told them to share with Ingrid. 

“Did you know that Dimitri went to the Leicester Alliance to talk to some nobles?” Dorothea asks the noblewoman who nods in confirmation. 

“But he said he wasn’t able to get a straight answer from them.” Ingrid tells them. 

“Did he tell you that he offered them to invade Enbarr three months from now?” Byleth adds and can see how this statement surprises Ingrid. 

She really had no idea. 

“That’s impossible.” Ingrid whispers. “Even now we are fighting hard to keep our border and prevent the Empire from advancing further into Faerghus. Dimitri promising such a thing… It’s insane.” 

“Edelgard thinks so as well.” Dorothea admits to her. “Which makes her believe that he either knows about some secret passageway or hidden route to Enbarr that no one else knows about. Knows of a secret weapon that could be capable of decimating our forces. Or, is being deceived by someone close to him who is making him believe that he can actually achieve such a feat.” 

Ingrid remains silent, thinking of what the brunette mage had just told her. 

“Do you know something about this?” Byleth asks but she already suspects the blonde’s answer. 

“No.” Ingrid admits. “Even though I’m Dimitri’s Knight, I’m not privy to the planning and war meetings he has with his advisors.” 

“Who are his advisors?” Dorothea is curious about this. 

“Lord Rodrigue of House Fraldarius, Dedue Molinaro, Gwendal, also known as the Gray Lion and Cornelia Arnim.” 

"I recognize that name." Dorothea says suddenly. "Everyone at the capital talked about her. How she left the Empire and moved to Faerghus after King Lambert hired her. Not many in the Empire know for what, though." 

Ingrid nods. 

"People talk about her here as well. From what I’ve heard, she was hired by King Lambert to improve Fhirdiad's infrastructure. Yet what actually made her rise to power was that she ended the epidemic that plagued the Kingdom, which led to her being praised as a saint.” 

“So her current position in the royal court was some sort of thanks for her service.” Byleth murmurs. 

Ingrid nods. 

“But thinking about it, things changed. Rather than continue focusing on healing magic, she started to focus on other endeavors. Some say she is an inventor of sorts."

"An inventor?" Byleth asks curiously. 

"Those are the rumors I've heard. Yet she keeps herself separate and distant from the royal court, remaining in Arianrhod, the territory King Lambert charged her to take care of. But even then, there are people who say that she’s not the same woman she was before. That the kindness she had shown many before is now gone and only a wish to further her own goals and endeavors remains." 

Byleth and Dorothea give each other knowing looks. 

That wasn't a coincidence at all. 

“And what do  _ you  _ think of her, Ingrid?” Byleth asks her seriously. 

“I think that she’s hiding something from us.” Ingrid is honest with them. “And that she may not have Dimitri’s best interests at heart.” she adds as she notices the way Byleth and Dorothea stare at each other. "You two know something about her." 

“We are not sure yet, but when you told us her name and her position in the Faerghus royal court; we couldn’t help but suspect that these schematics and maps we have were procured by her." Dorothea tells her as she hands the knight said maps. 

"This is Arianrhod." Ingrid whispers. "How did you get these maps?" 

"A spy gave them to Edelgard. A spy that she doesn't trust." Byleth add as she sees the way the knight flinches. 

“And you now suspect that this spy could be Cornelia.” Ingrid surmises. 

“Perhaps.” Byleth agrees. “But we don’t know yet and that’s not why we are here.” 

Ingrid stares at them. 

"We are here because we need to confirm if these maps and schematics are correct. Because if they are…"

"Edelgard will use them to reclaim Arianrhod." Ingrid surmises. "She will do what no Adrestian Emperor has been able to do since the Rowe family allied itself with Faerghus: Take the Silver Maiden back." 

Dorothea and Byleth nod. 

“But after everything you told us about Cornelia, and Her Majesty’s own suspicions about the veracity of these maps… We want you to take us to Arianrhod so we can confirm the content of these maps.” Dorothea tells her softly. 

Ingrid looks down towards her cup of tea, thinking of what to say. 

“I was expecting this day to come.” she smiles sadly as she finishes her drink and places the cup on the table. “And I prepared myself for it.” she stares at the two Adrestian women. “To do my duty and serve my Emperor.” she nods to herself and gives them a determined look. “You have my trust and my lance.” 

“Thank you Ingrid” Dorothea says relieved as she stands up to hug the blonde woman. “With you helping us, I know we will be completely safe.” 

Byleth nods in agreement. 

“I’m glad to see Her Majesty have such loyal supporters.” she says honestly from her seat. “And with you aiding us, we will be able to explore Arianrhod faster and enter without anyone suspecting our presence there.” 

“But it’s too late to go today.” Ingrid tells them. “Especially with Cornelia probably being at the fortress by now. Lucky for us, tomorrow all the nobles and Dimitri’s war council will be meeting at the castle. This will be the perfect opportunity for us to make our way inside Arianrhod.” 

“And is it normal for them to meet like this?” Byleth asks. 

“They’ve had these weekly meetings since the war started.” the knight explains. “As a way to keep all the other nobles updated about border battles and such. And like I said earlier, even though I’m His Majesty’s knight, I’m not allowed in those meetings.” 

“That’s strange.” Dorothea murmurs. “That they won’t let you participate.” 

“It’s not only me.” Ingrid confesses to them. “At first I thought it was my own paranoia, but after talking to you, I’m starting to wonder if there’s more to it than that. Lately, it seems like all of Dimitri’s school friends are being pushed away by his war council. Felix, Sylvain, Mercedes, Ashe, Annette and me… We’ve been slowly moved to different areas where we don’t interact with Dimitri. We just follow the orders the war council gives us.” 

“Do you think they’re trying to isolate him from his friends and make him more vulnerable and open to bad suggestions?” Dorothea asks seriously. 

“We think so.” Ingrid admits to them. “But that hasn’t happened because they’ve outsmarted us or did some ploy to win Dimitri’s trust.” she takes a deep breath. “The reality is that Dimitri is so desperate to destroy Edelgard and the Empire that he’s willing to do anything to achieve it. Even if that means to forsake his old friends and start listening to a group of nobles that are only looking out for their own interests and goals.” 

“What do you mean by that?” Byleth asks. 

“When the war first broke out, Edelgard sent messengers to Fhirdiad to try to deliver a message to Dimitri. Some of us argued that we should at least let the messenger deliver his message but Dimitri didn’t want anything to do with Edelgard and the Empire.” Ingrid explains. 

“She sent one to the Alliance as well.” Dorothea tells them. “To ask them to not get involved in her war against the church. But when Dimitri declared his alliance with Archbishop Rhea and the Knights of Seiros…” 

“He made it into a bigger war than the one Edelgard wanted to initially have.” Byleth murmurs. “Giving the Alliance no choice in the matter but to either get involved or stay neutral for as long as possible.” 

Dorothea and Ingrid nod. 

“If he’s that determined in destroying the Empire, then the more reason for us to go to Arianrhod and make sure that the maps and schematics Emperor Edelgard obtained are correct and pose no extraordinary risk towards her safety.” Byleth adds seriously. 

_ “You think it’s a trap?”  _

“You think it’s a trap?” Sothis and Dorothea ask at the same time. 

“All I know is that it sounds like Dimitri and his war council are capable of anything as long as they bring Emperor Edelgard and the Empire down. And after what you’ve said about Cornelia, who’s to say she isn’t loyal to the Kingdom and handed the Empire’s spy false documents?” 

“Do you think something like that would be possible though?” Dorothea wonders. 

“Think about it. Why did the spy give Edelgard maps to Arianrhod of all places? Not only that, but remember the significance Arianrhod has to the Empire. How important it is strategically and symbolically for the Empire to recover that fortress.” 

Ingrid realizes what Byleth is trying to say. 

“They know Edelgard will be the one leading her soldiers to battle because of how important and significant Arianrhod is.” 

“Making the Emperor a possible target of the Kingdom.” Byleth murmurs darkly as the three women reach the same conclusion. 

That this battle could very well be a good placed trap for Edelgard and the Empire. 

* * *

_ Somewhere in The Easternmost Mountains of Hrym _

Staring at the man kneeling in front of him, Thales can’t help but be frustrated by how slowly their progress was going. True, they were able to use the Crest Stones to create demonic beasts and set them free; but apart from that, Solon had not been able to find a way to control the beasts. 

They attacked anyone surrounding them, which made it tricky to use them in battlefields without the risk of losing their own soldiers. Still, their power was unparalleled and they were capable of annihilating battalions by themselves; with only talented generals or individuals with crests being able to stand a chance against them. 

The price for their level of destruction was worth it. 

“Tell me Solon…” he addresses the man kneeling in front of him. “How is our progress regarding the demonic beasts and creating them out of people who bear crests going?” 

“While they’re more powerful than regular demonic beasts, they perish faster. Probably because of the combination of the two crests. Like in our previous experiments, the combination and acceptance of two crests depends on the individual and some may prove capable of bearing the extra burden of another crest.” 

“As the Emperor and that noble from Ordelia did.” Thales murmurs. “Diamonds in the rough that we wouldn’t have discovered if we didn’t perform these experiments.” 

Solon nods. 

“As such, the only way to be able to test for compatibility is by finding and testing more subjects. It’s the only way.” 

“Fortunately for us, there is a war going on where many people get lost.” Thales chuckles. “Take advantage of that and perform as many tests as you need. Our goal is to have soldiers that we can control.” 

“Understood.” Solon says as he stands up. “How are things going on  _ her  _ side?” 

“She has been showing progress with the implementation of ancient magic on the Titanus and is now able to control them at will.” Thales tells him happily. “Being located at Arianrhod has given her the opportunity to keep the dolls and her inventions hidden from unwanted eyes.” 

“If so, then why did you give those maps and schematics to the Adrestian girl?” Solon asks him. “Why send her there when there are not only loyal mages but also magical weapons and tools that she has no idea exist?”

“Because we have to test the Titanus. Not only that, but we also need to pressure the Kingdom and the Church into actively reacting to the Empire’s actions. The only way to do so is by pushing Edelgard to attack Arianrhod. Not only will we take the Silver Maiden and enter Faerghus, but we will also show the world how powerful we are.” 

“But what about Cornelia?”

“Cornelia was informed of something like this happening and has taken the necessary precautions to preserve most of our technology as well as assets. She is prepared to sacrifice some of the Titanus to distract the Kingdom and Imperial army so that her dark mages and her can join the Emperor and offer their allegiance. Edelgard will know right away that she’s working for us and will have to keep spare them per our agreement.” Thales smiles. “All that matters is that we make the Church believe that the power of the Empire is a threat to the Faerghus’ capital.” he stares at Solon. “Regardless, what you need to worry about is making sure Kronya obtains more test subjects from different areas and that we can send demonic beasts to the battlefront when the Emperor declares her attack on Garreg Mach.” 

“It will be done.” Solon agrees and gets out of the room, wondering if Thales was yet again overestimating the control he had on Edelgard and the way they were revealing their weapons to the world. 

Nevertheless, Thales had not led them astray yet, which to Solon was enough to make him agree and follow their leader’s plan. It had been so long since they had all lived in the shadows, hidden and preparing for a war that would finally allow them to take vengeance on the false goddess. 

They had never, in all of their history, been as close as they now are to victory. 

And it had all been thanks to Thales and his patience. He had been the first one to go out of the shadows and into the world, somehow infiltrating the Empire and attaining the coveted position of Lord Arundel, brother-in-law of Emperor Iounius IX. Not only had that position allowed him to get involved with the Imperial family, but it gave them access to the Crest of Seiros, which they had tried to obtain but was only found in the Imperial royal family.

After they were able to successfully infiltrate the Imperial royal family, Thales’ new position gave them access not only to the Empire, but also to Garreg Mach, where Solon was sent to replace Tomas, a noble that worked at the school as a librarian for more than 40 years. It had been surprisingly easy to replace the old man, the position at Garreg Mach allowing them to keep a close eye on the church and the Archbishop, who was none the wiser about their ploy. 

Then it had been Cornelia, who successfully took over the operations of the magician and healer and implemented her own experiments, allowing them to be close to the royal family and directly influence the politics of Faerghus. 

Finally, they had Kronya, who was the newest among them. Young and irresponsible, she was desperate to please, which Solon had found helpful for his own operation at Garreg Mach, the younger woman being able to replace a second year student that hailed from the Empire. 

With Kronya supporting their efforts in acquiring students at Garreg Mach, it was only when the Emperor declared war that they had to leave and find new ways of obtaining test subjects, Kronya now approaching younger people and luring them to the forests where she incapacitated and then brought them to his laboratory. 

Solon wasn’t a fool. He knew that all of this had been possible because of Thales, who had been planning and preparing their people for years now to slowly replace specific individuals that were pillars in their communities. 

All so that they would be able to freely move around and orchestrate tragedies and events that all led to today’s war. 

A war that he could taste they were close to winning. 

Smirking, Solon returns to his laboratory, ready to continue his many tests. 

They had a world to conquer. 


	16. Preparations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After spending the night discussing multiple plans with Ingrid and Dorothea, Byleth is beginning to understand the repercussions of becoming a spy for the Empire and that failing is not an option.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy new year all! Dropping this chapter earlier in hopes you all have a great end of year and we all get a better 2021! 
> 
> See you next week all :)

Darkness kept encompassing her, the smell of humidity and decay a familiar yet unpleasant reminder of where she was. 

It had been months since her siblings and her were taken away from her father by her uncle and the other nobles. At first, they had taken their blood and forced them to drink strange potions that tasted weird. Then, they came for her older siblings, who tried their best to fight their abductors but were incapable of doing anything. 

After two days, familiar screams started to fill their cages, the horrifying yells of their older brother and sister making Edelgard and the rest of her siblings tremble and cry in fear. They screamed non-stop for days, beginning the Goddess, their father and even the devil to save them. 

Yet no one ever answered their call, the hope of being found and rescued diminishing each passing day just like her siblings were; taken and then never seen again. Edelgard at one point had gotten used to the constant screaming, her mind, in an attempt to keep her sane, taking her somewhere else where she no longer heard their begging and crying. 

Then it was Edelgard’s turn. 

And the reality of what these  _ monsters  _ had done to her siblings finally laid bare. The table where they placed her had the smell and blood of her family, with some familiar heirlooms left on the floor. 

Her sister’s favorite necklace. Her brother’s watch that had been a gift from their father… 

They were all crushed and crumbled by the monsters that were now cutting holes into her, the bitterness and anger over their fate making Edelgard harden and refuse to give them her pain and suffering. Instead, she took it all in, all the scars and poisons that made her skin burn and her eyes to cry bloody tears… 

All of that pain she made it her own by never allowing them to see her cry or beg for mercy. 

Edelgard was not going to give them that. Not to the monsters that were doing this to her nor to the Goddess that had obviously abandoned them all. 

And as she was laid naked and bare for these people to see, Edelgard made a vow to herself: That she would never let anyone see her this way again. That she would avenge her siblings and her family. That she would destroy these monsters that believed the world and its people belonged to them just because of their strange tools and weapons. 

That was the vow Edelgard von Hrsevelg made with herself the day she felt so weak that her eyes closed. 

She was going to survive this and rise from the ashes. She was going to destroy them with the biggest weapon that they had created to further their own goals. 

Herself. 

Still, that didn’t mean she had come out whole. A part of her was still in those dungeons, screaming and begging for someone to save her. Hoping and praying that anyone would come and kill the creatures that had hurt her siblings and her. And although Edelgard never showed this wish, her dreams did, with her experiencing horrible nightmares where she saw and felt all the pain that her body had endured years ago. 

Which was exactly what was happening now. 

“Please don’t. Please, save me. Save us. My brother, don’t do this to him.” she begged as she watched the men with black robes and masks take Eluyin away. “I beg you, take me instead.” 

“No El.” her brother had whispered to her as he caressed her brown hair. “I’m the oldest of us. And the one that has to protect you.” he had smiled at her one last time before being pulled away by the monsters, his smile not leaving his face until Edelgard could no longer see him. 

“NOOOOOOO” the Emperor screams as she wakes up from her nightmare, her body all sweaty from exertion and nerves. 

Closing her eyes to take calming breaths, Edelgard experiences the familiar melancholy of waking up with the reminder of her siblings’ deaths and the harsh reality that years later she was still unable to avenge them the way they deserved. 

Instead, she was working with those same monsters to destroy the Church, who needed to be eliminated first before she even attempted to deal with  _ them.  _

“But one day…” she whispers to herself as she looks at her scarred hands. “I swear to you that the day of our vengeance will come soon.” she refuses to cry. “I promise you we are close.” she finishes saying as she hears a knock on her door, it probably being Flowa and Hubert who are here to do their daily routine. 

Getting out of bed and going to put her clothes on, she orders the guards to let Flowa and Hubert in, only stepping out to greet them when she’s fully dressed and her hands are covered by her gloves. 

“Good morning Your Majesty.” Flowa and Hubert say at the same time as they bow. 

“Good morning.” she smiles softly at them as she heads to the table where Flowa had already placed her breakfast. “Thank you.” she tells her honestly. 

“My pleasure, Your Majesty.” the maid bows once more before leaving the room. 

The moment she does, Hubert goes to the door and places a silencing spell on it, making Edelgard realize that whatever Hubert had to share with her was important. 

“Did you at least have something to eat before this meeting?” Edelgard asks him, knowing Hubert at times skipped meals because of his many duties. 

“I did.” he promises her. “Ferdinand can attest to that.” 

“Oh can he?” she smirks and is amused by the sight of her vassal softly blushing. 

“Your Majesty…” he lightly scolds her with his familiar smirk. “Are you trying to distract me from performing my duties as your royal vassal?” 

“I would never.” she chuckles. “I just want you to not only be focused on me and your duty. So to hear you enjoying the company of others is pleasing to me.” 

“I… I appreciate that Your Majesty and will take it into consideration.” Hubert murmurs but then gets all serious. “I have some important updates regarding our newest spy.” 

This gets Edelgard’s attention. 

“Like you suspected, it seems like Thales is fascinated by the Professor. Baron Ochs was ordered to keep a close eye on her as well as you.” 

“She’s an unknown that he didn’t have planned.” Edelgard tells him. “Of course he will try to learn as much as he can about her.” 

“The only thing that the Baron could tell him was that she’s a former mercenary and was known by many as the Ashen Demon. I was also able to obtain this information when I investigated her.” 

Edelgard nods. 

“So nothing about her connection to the Blade Breaker and the Knights of Seiros.”

“Nothing. And regarding that, I also wasn’t able to uncover much apart from the fact that the public records of the church say that both the Professor and her mother perished due to a complicated childbirth.” 

“Really?” Edelgard is curious about this. “Do you have a theory about why these records were faked since Byleth is obviously still among the living?” 

Hubert shakes his head. 

“Only someone at the church could have done this, though, which further proves her connection to the Church of Seiros.” 

Edelgard can’t deny that, seeing as the church did their best to hide the existence of both Byleth and her mother. 

“Unfortunately, until we go to Garreg Mach and obtain the original records from the church’s archives, we won’t be able to further corroborate the Professor’s origins.” 

“As expected.” Edelgard says calmly. “I know you still have your doubts about Byleth…” she stares at him. “But she swore her loyalty to me, Hubert.” 

“Something that has indeed somehow assuaged my suspicions of her.” he admits. “And I didn’t sense any deceit in her words when she told us about her upbringing and her encounter with her father years later.” 

“But there is still something she isn’t telling us.” Edelgard smiles at him. “And for the time being, I’m okay with that.” 

“I will support your decision, Your Majesty.” 

“Good.” she nods as she moves to the next topic. “How are our troops looking?” 

“Randolph is preparing them just like we planned, and, taking into account that Baron Ochs still has a couple of days left before he has to report to Thales, we are hoping that the Professor and Dorothea will be back by then to give us their report.” 

“If things go according to plan then they should be.” Edelgard says softly. “Did you move that border troop closer to Arianrhod just in case?” 

Hubert nods. 

“They are ready to intercept the enemy if for some reason the Professor and Dorothea are made out. With the instructions I gave to Dorothea before their departure, if the worst were to happen, she will be able to warp the Professor, Ingrid and herself to the exact place where our troops are waiting. The troops are aware that they need to make time for them to flee back to the capital.” 

“Good.” Edelgard tells him. “The Professor, Dorothea and Ingrid are important members of our Strike Force and I will not let them fall to enemies’ hands no matter the cost.” she looks down. “I don’t want to see more people I care about taken away from me.” she murmurs and knows Hubert has heard her moment of vulnerability. 

“I will ensure that doesn’t happen again, I give you my word.” Hubert promises her. “Besides, the Professor is there. And she’s the strongest and most capable fighter, apart from Her Majesty of course, that I have ever seen. I have every confidence in the two of them returning safely to us.” 

“You’re right.” Edelgard smiles. “I chose them because I knew they would be the best ones for this mission. And I know they will bring to us the results we need. With Ingrid helping them as well, there’s no way they will fail.” 

* * *

Staring at the sun rising on the horizon, Byleth can’t help but feel a little anxious about today. Although Dorothea, Ingrid and her had spent the night discussing multiple plans, the mercenary couldn’t stop the nerves that were rising within her. 

There was so much at stake here, with the worst scenario being that they would get caught by the Kingdom troops and tortured for information about Edelgard and the Empire. Dorothea had told her that allowing such a thing was out of the question, taking out some weird looking stones and instructing her on how to swallow them and what they would do. 

“They will kill you within seconds.” Dorothea had said darkly as she gave one to Ingrid and her. 

Ingrid had nodded in understanding, putting her stone away as if what had just transpired between them was ordinary. Yet Byleth, who had not done this type of work before, was just realizing how important it was for them to succeed on their first try. 

Because there literally wouldn’t be a second one. 

When she had said that she admired the Black Eagles for their determination and bravery in joining Edelgard’s side and helping her win the war, she had done so from an outsider’s perspective. And although she had killed and done things that many would consider scarier than spying, Byleth had always felt indifferent as she had done them. 

Now it was the complete opposite. For the first time since she escaped Rhea and Garreg Mach, Byleth was scared. 

_ “Being scared is not a bad thing.”  _ Sothis says to her as she takes a seat next to her.  _ “That fear is the one thing that will keep you alive and make you act carefully.”  _

“I’m not used to being the one afraid. _ ”  _ Byleth murmurs. “I’m the one people are afraid of. The Ashen Demon.” 

“And is it such a bad thing that you’re now scared?” Sothis asks her carefully. 

“It’s confusing.” she admits to the girl. “I’m not used to feeling things. And it’s all happening so quickly that I don’t really have a lot of time to process what is happening to me.” she huffs. “Then again, there really isn’t a lot to think about, right?” 

Sothis laughs. 

“Well there could be, if you wanted to spend your time on it. Then again, that’s not the Byleth we both know, right?” 

Byleth smiles. 

“But I also got a little worried after that talk we had last night.” Sothis admits to her. “Of course I knew how serious it would be to join Edelgard. But to actually be discussing infiltration and emergency escape plans as well… It makes it more real.” 

The mercenary nods. 

“Do you still feel that us taking this path will lead us to learn more about you, Sothis?” 

“I do. I feel that I’m somehow connected to all that’s happening. I still don’t know how, but it’s almost as if I know some of the things your allies talk about. They feel like lost memories.” 

“As if you lived those things?” Byleth is curious about this. 

“I think so.” Sothis admits. “Ugh, it’s so frustrating! It feels like the answer is right in the tip of my tongue but when I try to say it, it just won’t come out.” 

“Then that means the answer will come when it has to.” Byleth assuages her. “All we can do meanwhile is prepare and continue our path.” 

Sothis agrees, turning to the left and pointing to the blonde knight that was making her way towards her. 

“Ingrid.” Byleth says surprised as she watches the woman stand next to her. “Good morning.” 

“Morning to you too.” the woman smiles at her. “Seems like you’re an early riser as well.” 

Byleth nods. 

“Knowing Dorothea, she probably won’t be up for another hour, which doesn’t really affect us since we need to wait for Cornelia to leave Arianrhod.” 

The mercenary remains silent, knowing Ingrid had more to say. 

“I know that what I’m about to ask of you is very selfish.” Ingrid says softly. “But I wish to fight you.” 

_ “I was and wasn’t expecting her to ask you that.”  _ Sothis says from the sidelines. 

“Please don’t take this the wrong way, but from what we talked about yesterday, it seems that Edelgard has placed a lot of trust in you.” Ingrid continues explaining herself. “And I find myself wanting to test you.” 

“To see if I’m worthy of such trust.” Byleth finishes solemnly. 

Ingrid nods. 

“I care deeply about Edelgard. To be honest with you, if I could, I would be by her side protecting her, as that is my duty as her knight.” 

_ Her knight…  _

Byleth is not very happy as she hears this. 

“But I know she needs me here. That me staying in Faerghus is important for the war and I can’t put my selfish desires above hers.” Ingrid closes her eyes. “So please do me the favor of fighting with me. I want to test your strength.” 

Usually, Byleth wasn’t one that accepted challenges and duels like this since she found them unnecessary. She knew she had nothing to prove to anyone, and if they wanted to they could say whatever they wanted about her. 

But there was something about Ingrid that was bothering Byleth. Something about the way she talks about Edelgard and the way she sees her. 

It was the same thing she had felt when Edelgard had told them about Ingrid back at Enbarr. 

She was jealous. 

And well… Jealousy didn’t exactly lead to the best types of decisions, didn’t it? 

“I’ll fight you.” Byleth says as she puts her fists up. “But no weapons or magic. Only hand to hand.” 

“Good enough for me.” Ingrid smirks and rushes for her, trying to surprise Byleth, who steps out of the way and raises her leg in an attempt to trip the knight, who moves before she can fall. 

“Nice move.” the bluenette compliments Ingrid who nods and attacks her again, this time punching her straight in the face. 

Blocking the hit with her hand, the two get closer and start attacking each other, using their hands and feet to land blow behind blow. 

Huffing, Byleth steps away from Ingrid, who had not moved away even though the mercenary had landed more punches than the knight. And if she was tired, then that probably meant Ingrid was exhausted. 

Yet there was the knight still standing, cleaning a cut on her head with her hand. 

“You’re a good fighter Byleth. Not the most honest one when it comes to battle but you get the job done.” 

“It’s been a while since I’ve had a knight be able to fight me for this long.” Byleth smirks. “I’m surprised.” 

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Ingrid smiles. “But this attack will be my last one. Prepare yourself for I’m hitting you with all my power.” 

“I’m ready.” the mercenary says and raises her hands, barely being able to see Ingrid who had sprinted all the way to her side in a matter of seconds. 

“I’ll end this quickly!” she exclaims as she hits Byleth with her right arm, waiting for the sensation of the woman’s face hitting her knuckles. 

What happens instead is that she sees Byleth somehow dodging her attack, the woman’s eyes completely devoid of any emotion. 

_ The Ashen Demon.  _

“Allow me to demonstrate.” Byleth says and she kicks Ingrid on the stomach, the impact making the woman hunch and curl on herself. 

Although she hadn’t hit her hard enough to hurt her, the mercenary had used enough force so that she would lose her breath for long enough to get her to concede. 

“I lose.” Ingrid huffs as she tries to catch her breath. “I wasn’t expecting you to be able to dodge my attack.” 

“I almost didn’t.” Byleth lies a little as she had to move time backwards because Ingrid had been able to hit her. 

_ “Hum.”  _ she can hear Sothis say as well.  _ “Wasting my power on such a trivial duel.”  _

“I had to.” she says to the two women. “You’re a very strong warrior, Ingrid, and I’m glad you’re on our side.” 

“Likewise.” the blonde accepts Byleth’s hand as she helps her stand up. “I feel better already after personally testing how good your skills are.” 

“I also feel better.” Byleth admits to her, and for some reason, chooses to share her feelings with Ingrid. “Since yesterday, I had felt concerned about the mission.” she admits to the knight who stares at her. “Not because I’m hesitating or I’m doubting us.” she clarifies. “But because I’ve never cared about results.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“I was a mercenary before I accepted Her Majesty’s offer.” Byleth smiles. “And as a mercenary, the only person you worry about is yourself, and when payment is received, your client. In fact, that was the initial deal Her Majesty and I had. But now…” 

“Now you’re involved in this too. Now you care.” Ingrid says for her with a knowing smile. “And even though you know it would be easier to step aside or fall back, a part of you knows you’ll immediately regret doing so.” 

Byleth nods. 

“Did Edelgard tell you how she made me join her revolution?” 

“She said that your relationship started out of convenience.” Byleth is honest. “But that it became more the moment you two got to learn about each other.” 

Ingrid laughs. 

“That sounds like Edelgard alright. And she’s right, when we first talked to each other, it was because I discovered Edelgard communicating with a spy. Knowing she had no choice in the matter, she told me everything, asking me what it would take to get my silence.” 

Byleth stares at her. 

“I felt so insulted.” Ingrid tells her. “But at the same time I felt that this could be my chance to be free of my responsibilities back at home. Although I’m a noble, my family wasn’t wealthy. As a result, we barely had enough to eat, with my father starving just so that we would be able to pretend that we were doing well.” she says sadly. “When it was discovered that I possessed the minor Crest of Daphnel; my father saw that as an opportunity to save the family since there are many noble families that want to have descendants that possess crests.” 

_ Oh… _

_ “Her father wanted to marry her to someone who would pay for her crest.”  _ Sothis murmurs.  _ “That’s sad.”  _

“I hated it but I also couldn’t refuse. Not after I saw my father starve so that we could eat. But at the same time, I wanted to be a knight. I had my own dreams and aspirations. And none of them included me getting married and having children.” 

Byleth nods, completely absorbed by Ingrid’s story. 

“So when Edelgard told me that she wanted to get rid of our current system that places crests above all else… It resonated so much with me.” she chuckles. “It was almost as if the answer to all my problems was standing right in front of me in the face of Adrestian Princess Edelgard von Hresvelg.”

“I don’t believe that was the only reason why you accepted. From what I’ve been able to see, you wouldn’t accept Her Majesty’s proposition purely out of selfishness. There had to be something else that made you accept, right?” 

Ingrid nods. 

“It was Dimitri.” Ingrid admits to her. “And the way he was starting to act during our year at Garreg Mach.” 

“What did he do?” they both turn around and see Dorothea standing behind them. “Sorry, I didn’t want to interrupt you but I couldn’t pretend I didn’t hear that about Dimitri.” 

“Understandable.” Ingrid smiles. “And it’s not really a secret. At least not to the Blue Lions. All of us felt that there was some sort of darkness within him that was just waiting for the right opportunity to come out.” 

“The Boar.” Byleth whispers and can see how that name makes Ingrid flinch. “I’m sorry.” 

“No… There is a reason they’ve started calling him that.” the blonde says sadly. “He’s like a beast, at times incapable of discerning between friend or foe.” she admits to them. “Yet what worries me is that his behavior is not completely unfamiliar.” 

“Meaning?” Dorothea is serious. 

“We swore between us to never say this, but I think we’re past the point of no return and of protecting Dimitri’s reputation.” Ingrid closes her eyes. “Ever since the Tragedy of Duscur, Dimitri changed. Well, all of us changed.” she adds bitterly. “But Dimitri, he became more violent. More quick to burst into a rage and attack. More capable of losing his temper and letting his anger out. When we were sent to missions during our school year, there were moments in which King showed this. And when it was revealed that Edelgard was the Flame Emperor… He truly lost it.” 

“The Flame Emperor?” Byleth asks. 

“It was the fake identity Edelgard took during our school year at Garreg Mach to be able to obtain the Crest Stones from the church without revealing herself to Archbishop Rhea.” Dorothea explains to her. “We never actually faced her in battle but she was there when we had to fight against her army.” 

“At the time, Edelgard was the Adrestian Princess, heir to the throne. It was only when her father passed away, a couple of days before she revealed herself to all of us, that she was able to ascend the throne and become the Emperor.” Ingrid adds to the brunette’s explanation. 

“And the moment she did she declared war against the church.” Byleth understands now. 

“Dimitri took her betrayal really hard. With them being the royal heirs and such; they had a competitiveness and camaraderie between them that couldn’t have been faked. And I think Dimitri saw that friendship as Edelgard playing with him.” Ingrid murmurs. “Something that influenced him into allying himself with Archbishop Rhea and the Church.” 

Byleth nods in understanding. 

_ “So the boy allied himself with that woman because he hated Edelgard more?”  _ Sothis murmurs.  _ “How immature.”  _

_ “I think there’s more to it than that.”  _ Byleth says to her.  _ “Something that only Dimitri and Edelgard know.”  _ she wonders.  _ “Because that type of reaction, it can’t come from someone who has only just met a person. It has to come from feeling a deep betrayal.”  _

_ “I see your point.”  _ Sothis agrees with her.

“Was it only because of that friendship?” Byleth finds herself asking Ingrid. “Or was there something more that made Dimitri react that way?” 

Ingrid thinks her answer for a moment, opening her eyes in recollection when she remembers the discussion the Blue Lions had right after the battle. 

“After the battle, all the Blue Lions, except Dimtiri, met to discuss what happened. Felix said that Dimitri had finally revealed his true colors to us; his enjoyment to spill blood and battle. And while at first I had refused his claim, I stand myself corrected with the way he has been since the war started.” she says sadly. “But that’s not all. Ashe mentioned something that at the time we considered but then forgot with the nerves of battle and the fear of war. He said that what if Edelgard and Dimitri were somehow connected from before their days at Garreg Mach? And when he asked that, Mercedes pointed out that it was only after Edelgard revealed she was the Flame Emperor that he got violent.” 

“Meaning that he reacted because you all discovered that Emperor Edelgard was the Flame Emperor.” Byleth murmurs, knowing that the only two people that could further explain things were either Edelgard or Dimitri. 

“All this does is confirm that Dimitri has personal reasons for wanting to eliminate Edie and that his actions could be clouded by his feelings.” Dorothea says. 

“Which would make him capable of sacrificing his own people and territory for the sake of having a chance to fight Edelgard.” Ingrid adds. 

“We have to make sure that these maps and schematics are correct as well as confirm Dimitri’s level of involvement in this scheme.” Byleth murmurs, planning. “Now more than ever, we have to be extra careful and make sure we all come out of Arianrhod.” she stares at the two women seriously. “Understood?” 

“Understood.” Dorothea and Ingrid say at the same time. 

Byleth’s earlier nerves were completely forgotten. 


	17. The Silver Maiden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After spending the night bonding with Ingrid and Dorothea, Byleth has finally arrived to Arianrhod. And, just like all the stories had said, there was a reason why this fortress was known was the Silver Maiden.   
> It was impenetrable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update day! This one is a little long but plenty of things happen! Hope you like it and let me know what you all think! 
> 
> Quick note: This chapter will reveal spoilers for the Azure Moon and Crimson Flower Route.

_Arianrhod, west of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus_

Having heard many tales about Arianrhod and how it was impossible to conquer Faerghus from that side of the border because of the fortress, Byleth thought she would be ready for anything. And while the stories she had heard already mentioned how Arianrhod was impenetrable, the closer they walked to the entrance, the more the bluenette realized that the stories were not exaggerated. 

After waiting for Ingrid to confirm to them that Cornelia was gone, the three women made their way into the fortress, the process easier thanks to Ingrid herself who was a known figure in the Kingdom. Because of that, the soldiers opened every door and made sure to not make eye contact with them, which ironically was the complete opposite of how things were at Enbarr. 

While many could have thought that the actions of the soldiers were done out of respect, Byleth knew better. 

They were afraid. 

Keeping close to Dorothea, who was also analyzing every area of the fortress, the two empire women remained silent, allowing Ingrid to do all the talking for them. While they didn’t expect anyone to recognize Dorothea, they still wanted to be careful since the mage  _ had  _ been a famous opera singer at the Mittelfrank Opera Company, a fact that had immensely surprised Byleth, who had no idea the brunette could sing. 

_ Flashback to Last Night _

“You can sing?” Byleth is shocked by the news, having assumed that Dorothea had always trained to become a mage and swordfighter. 

“She was known as the Mystical Songstress.” Ingrid says to her with a smile on her face. “Nobles and commoners from all across Fodlan traveled to the Empire’s capital just to hear her sing.” 

Dorothea blushes. 

“Oh stop it Ingrid.” the brunette chuckles. “But yes, I used to perform at the Mittelfrank Opera Company, which is where I met my mentor Manuela Casagranda. At first I thought that making it as a songstress would be enough for me. But, when my mentor left and went to Garreg Mach to teach, I realized that I also didn’t want to stay at the Mittelfrank anymore.” 

“Can I ask why?” Byleth stares at her. 

“All I achieved before enrolling in Garreg Mach, the connections that made it even possible for me to attend the school, were because of my time at the Mittelfrank. But, I knew that I couldn’t stay there forever. That at one point I would lose my voice and my looks, which were the ones that got people’s attention. So before that could happen, I decided to learn magic and go to the monastery to try to find someone to marry.” she chuckles. “How the tables have turned regarding that.” 

Ingrid laughs as well. 

“Dorothea would always tell me about her many dates with knights or older students. And while at first I didn’t understand why she chose marriage as her end-goal, the more I got to know her, the more sense her choice made to me. Yet when it came for her to decide what to do, instead of staying at the academy she followed Edelgard.” she chuckles. 

“Edie just has something about her that makes you want to follow her, you know.” Dorothea muses loudly. “Right from the start, she was so open and honest about her opinions and feelings regarding the church, crests, nobility… It was so refreshing.” 

Ingrid nods in agreement. 

“When she revealed to us who she really was…” Dorothea closes her eyes. “We were all so shocked. Yet at the same time we could see it coming. All of us were aghast at the way the church eliminated its opposition, how it kept things hidden from the common folk and manipulated their students and soldiers into slaying their enemies.” 

Ingrid nods. 

“While they told us that what we were doing was keeping the peace in Fodlan, all we truly did was silence Rhea’s enemies within the church and give her sole control of it.” Ingrid scoffs. “Remember Lord Lonato? How he was manipulated by the church and then slaughtered by Rhea?” 

Byleth just listens to them, wanting to learn more about how things were in Garreg Mach before the war. 

_ “That woman sounds awful.”  _ Sothis says in her mind, aghast by everything that Dorothea and Ingrid were discussing.  _ “Why didn’t anyone try to stop her?”  _

_ “Because of how powerful she is.”  _ Byleth tells her softly.  _ “I don’t remember much from my time there, but what I do know is that some people knew her true identity. And like they’re saying, Rhea made sure to keep them close to her. Nothing that happened at Garreg Mach could happen without that monster finding out about it.”  _

_ “Then how was it that this child could be at the school for so long without raising the woman’s suspicions?”  _

_ “I have no idea and I don’t want to ask Edelgard because doing so will make me have to tell her why I’m asking.”  _

_ “Which is something you’re not ready to do.”  _ Sothis murmurs. 

Byleth nods. 

_ “I understand. But Byleth, the more you wait, the more difficult it will get to tell her. And it is inevitable, following your decision to support Edelgard, that you  _ will  _ face Rhea again.”  _

“I know.” she murmurs. 

“What do you know?” Ingrid asks her and this makes Byleth realize that she had said this out-loud.

“Sorry. I was just thinking how justified Edelgard’s war against the church is. Not only is the church responsible for the crest system that controls Fodlan but they’re the ones that have benefited the most from it.” she looks at her hands. “But even then, I feel there’s more to this story that we don’t know.” she admits to them. “Another enemy that is trying to control things and create chaos the closer we get to Fhirdiad and Garreg Mach.” she finishes somberly and can see how her statement is met with worry from the two other women in the room. 

But there was something about that worry that didn’t seem completely right to Byleth, who knew how people looked when they were scared or afraid. Rather than be concerned about Byleth’s suspicions, it seemed as if Ingrid and Dorothea were worried about what Byleth suspected. 

As if the two of them knew something that Byleth didn’t know yet. 

_ End of Flashback _

Stepping closer to Dorothea, she notices that the brunette is keeping her hands ready in case they need to use magic. And, knowing that it was because of her nerves, the action looked suspicious. Grabbing Dorothea’s hand with her own, she gets a surprised look from the brunette. 

_ Relax,  _ she tells her with her eyes as she squeezes her hand soothingly, hoping the touch is enough to calm Dorothea. 

When she feels the brunette’s grip loosening, Byleth let’s go, immediately noticing the difference in the way the mage was walking and keeping her pace. 

_ Thank you,  _ she knows Dorothea is telling her, both nodding and returning to their previous position. 

“We are almost there.” they hear Ingrid say as they turn around a corner, the presence of guards diminishing. 

“Is this normal?” she asks the blonde, who nods. 

“This part of the fortress has always had less guards. When I asked why, they told me it was because the wall is impenetrable from this area, so placing soldiers here is a waste of manpower.” Ingrid looks at the map they had given her. “And based on this map, it seems like they’ve found a vulnerability in the wall that would allow almost anyone with magic or explosives to break it easily.” 

Dorothea nods. 

“The climb itself to this area is difficult, but, if a force like ours were to infiltrate the castle and make our way from the inside, it would be very doable.” 

Byleth nods. 

“From what I saw on our way here, none of the soldiers here have enough strength to stop us from entering and taking the fortress if we make our way in.” she gets closer to the specific wall and notices a mark on it. 

_ “It was someone from the inside that found this vulnerability.”  _ Sothis says what she already suspects. 

“Who is the person that knows the most about Arianrhod?” Byleth asks Ingrid. 

“Cornelia.” she tells her immediately. “Though to be honest with you, I don’t know if King Lambert specifically appointed her to Arianrhod. All that was made public was that she was given a position in the Royal Court following her eradication of the epidemic and her mission of improving Fhirdiad’s infrastructure.” 

“Then what is she doing all the way here in Arianrhod?” Dorothea asks them. 

“I don’t know.” Ingrid says frustrated. 

“At the moment, figuring this out is not our priority.” Byleth reminds them. “We have to confirm that the maps we were given match with the current infrastructure and that there are no traps waiting for us if we choose to launch a surprise attack.” 

“From what I could sense with my magic, there doesn’t seem to be anything that would alert the soldiers of an attack. Nor is there any poison or material that could react to magic if activated.” Dorothea says as she looks around the hallway. “How far away are the closest soldiers?” 

“Six minutes away.” 

“That does match with what the map says.” Ingrid confirms as she reads the notes at the bottom of it. “It also says when the shifts start and end.” she groans. “This is very detailed and up until now, a very accurate map of the current infrastructure of Arianrhod.” 

Byleth nods. 

“It confirms that it  _ had  _ to be someone within Arianrhod the one that made these maps. And to know the specific schedules of the soldiers… It had to be someone in a high position at the fortress.” 

“A general perhaps?” Ingrid suggests. “Not to say that Cornelia isn’t suspicious, but a general could have access to the soldiers’ schedule and shift routes.” 

“Correct. But such detailed knowledge of the fortress.” Dorothea points at another mark that had been left for them to use as an entryway. “This is someone who is very familiar with the castle and the materials it was made of.” 

“Someone like Cornelia.” the blonde agrees with them. “Or General Rowe, who is the current head of House Rowe. He has lived in Arianrhod his whole life. And, he’s also a member of King Dimitri’s War Council.” 

“That’s not a coincidence either.” Byleth murmurs. “But what I still don’t get is why the spy gave us these maps now. Why do they want the Emperor to conquer Arianrhod now?” 

* * *

_ Fhirdiad, Capital of Faerghus _

Walking through the familiar hallways of the Kingdom’s Royal Castle, Cornelia is already tired of having to attend these weekly meetings. Not only did she have to sit there for hours and listen to the crazy ramblings of that foolish boy; but she also had to go and suggest to him impossible plans of attack. 

All she wanted to do was research. 

She didn’t want to be babysitting a damaged child that had too much anger and bitterness within him. Though those were things that not only made him pliable to their plans but also easy to control. 

Just like his father, King Lambert, had been. 

Chuckling at the memory, Cornelia can’t help but smirk at how simple it had been to manipulate the former king into doing her bidding. How she had used his infatuation with Anselma von Arundel to insert herself into their relationship and gain more power within the Royal Court. The romance, which shouldn’t have happened in the first place, was facilitated by Cornelia herself, who introduced her to King Lambert after Anselma fled to the Kingdom following the staged Insurrection of the Seven. And while Thales and her had not been in contact during that time, it wasn’t difficult to assume his involvement in that event. 

Not when she happened to see Edelgard at a royal ball years after the insurrection took place all the way in Fhirdiad. 

The daughter that Anselma always mentioned to Cornelia when the two of them met. The perfect tool to ensure Anselma’s collaboration in their plans to eliminate King Lambert and destabilize Faerghus so that they could gain further control within the Kingdom. 

Anselma, ironically, had been King Lambert’s death sentence. 

Dimitri’s had been to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. 

Having fed him lies about the Tragedy of Duscur and of Edelgard’s involvement in the event had been the perfect way to poison him against her. And, after already spending so much time on making sure that the King of Faerghus was a shell of the person he could have been, Cornelia knew that she held the key to completely break him mentally. To make him disregard the safety of his people and his friends as long as the possibility of destroying Edelgard was in play. 

_ The Boar.  _

She had shaped him so beautifully, so willing to snarl and bite at anyone that got too close or questioned his decisions. The War Council, which was mostly formed by their allies, knew this already and had learned the best way to deal with his moods. And Dimitri’s right hand man, Dedue, was too preoccupied about his mental state to stop them from doing what they wanted. 

Faerghus, without anyone realizing it, had already fallen into the hands of Those Who Slither in the Dark. 

And yet Thales wanted more. He wanted to destroy civilization as they knew it and bring back the Agarthans into the light. To step away from the shadows and to truly become what their ancestors had attempted to be. 

The true rulers of the world. 

And they were as close as they had ever been. 

With Adrestia and Faerghus under their control, it wouldn’t take long for them to make their way into Leicester’s main noble families. After that, the rest of the known world. The ultimate revenge against the Nabateans who dared destroy their ancestors. Who wrote history as they wanted and made themselves not only the victors but the rulers of the new world. 

The Agarthans were going to do the same thing.

“Cornelia.” she hears Rodrigue addressing her. “Any news regarding the borders on Arianrhod?” 

“Nothing apart from some Imperial scouts as usual.” Cornelia tells them. “We all know how enticing Arianrhod must be for the Emperor. How recovering the Silver Maiden would boost Imperial morale.” 

“SHE WILL NOT.” Dimitri yells from his throne. “Edelgard will not step a foot in Arianrhod and live to tell the tale.” he vows. 

“Which is already impossible.” Count Rowe adds to stop the king’s rampage. “The fortress is impossible to infiltrate and the terrain is so steep that the Kingdom soldiers already have an advantage from their higher standpoint. The Emperor knows sending her soldiers to fight in such conditions is suicide.” 

Cornelia nods. 

“I agree. The fortress was built by the Empire itself so that they could patrol the Kingdom’s borders. As such, it was made with the best available materials of the time. And like Count Rowe said, the terrain is so steep and muddy that soldiers trying to climb up the hill will only become easy targets for our archers.” 

“Arianrhod remains safe, Your Majesty.” Rodrigue adds calmly. “No, the Emperor will look for another way to pass our borders. Probably through Leicester.”

“Duke Riegan has said that the Alliance and him will remain neutral during the war.” Gwendal tells them firmly. “Meaning that neither Emperor Edelgard’s or our troops will make it through there without having to fight first.” 

“Claude has always been a coward.” Dimitri says darkly. “The first one who ran away and left his allies behind. I’m not surprised he hasn’t changed and is making things difficult for us. With the Knights of Seiros aiding us, it would be easy to invade Leicester and solve things once and for all.” 

“Your Majesty you can’t!” Rodrigue exclaims. “They have not attacked any of our soldiers and have claimed their neutrality. Attacking them would make our cause be seen as one of vengeance and not justice.” 

“AND WHY DO I CARE ABOUT WHAT OTHERS THINK?” Dimitri bellows to them. “The only way this war will end is with Edelgard’s death. And I don’t care what you have to do, but she has to pay.” he warns them as he stands up. “Let me know when you have a plan to make this happen.” he groans and leaves the room, Dedue following close-by. 

“He’s not completely wrong.” Count Rowe murmurs. “We can’t continue to fight the Empire this way without having heavy losses. And, unlike the Empire, we don’t have enough farms and crops to sustain us for longer than them.” 

“We knew so right from the start.” Cornelia says bored. “Which is why you went to Leicester with King Dimitri to get support from the other Leicester nobles. Perhaps instigate them to rise against Duke Riegan and create some conflict within the noble houses” she reminds him.

“An idea that seemed decent at first but turned out to be a disaster.” Count Rowe groans. “Especially with a King that says all he wants to do is kill Emperor Edelgard and to hell with everything else. After his outburst, at most I was hoping to get permission to have our troops there. Yet with the King’s insane announcement of us winning the war in four months…” 

“Negotiations fell.” Rodrigue remembers how bitter Count Rowe had been. “I always wondered from where the King got that specific number.” 

‘From his own craziness.” Rowe says bitterly. “The only thing that man can do is kill.” 

“Which is honestly the only thing we need him for, right?” Cornelia finally says from her seat. “Or do you feel comfortable letting him rule over Faerghus?” 

Neither man nods, knowing the mage was right. 

“Having lost the opportunity to obtain more soldiers from Leicester is an inconvenience.” she says. “But men are not the only tools that can be used to fight wars.” 

“Whatever do you mean Cornelia?” Rowe asks her. 

“It’s not what I mean but what I have to show the three of you.” she smiles. “Something that will shift the way the war is going and that is waiting for us in Arianrhod.” 

* * *

_Arianrhod, west of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus_

After going to all the places and areas that were marked on the spy’s maps, Byleth suspects now more than ever that they were falling right into someone’s trap. 

Not only had the maps been accurate in detailing the location of different vulnerable areas within Arianrhod; but they had also obtained extra information about time shifts and types of soldiers within the fortress that Ingrid, Dorothea and her were able to confirm. 

“This is too easy.” Byleth murmurs as the three of them are heading back to the fortress’ main entrance. “Feels premeditated.” 

Ingrid and Dorothea nod. 

“I also don’t like that someone wants her to make the first move and strike Arianrhod.” Ingrid agrees with the mercenary. 

“And what worries me is that we don’t know who is the person trying to manipulate her.” Dorothea murmurs. “True, the maps seem to be complete. But how can we really know that this is all there is to Arianrhod?” 

Dorothea was right. 

_ “But the maps were given to Edelgard, which means that she has an idea of who gave them to her, right?”  _ Sothis asks her. 

_ “True. Yet it’s clear that she doesn’t trust the person that gave the maps to her. So she knows that this could be a trap set up by them.”  _

“We wouldn’t be here if she didn’t suspect that the person that gave her the maps doesn’t have her best intentions in mind.” Byleth adds. “Us telling her that the maps have been confirmed will only add another layer to the already difficult decision that she has to take.” 

Ingrid and Dorothea stare at her. 

“To attack Arianrhod while knowing it’s a trap because let’s not delude ourselves into thinking that it isn’t…” Byleth explains to them. “Or to not attack and lose the opportunity of gaining entrance into Faerghus.” 

“There is an element of risk in the two choices.” Ingrid says. “Yet the safest to me seems the latter one.” 

“That we know of.” Dorothea reminds them. “She has always kept her cards close to her chest so it wouldn’t surprise me to think that there are more things she knows but hasn’t told us yet.” 

Ingrid nods in agreement. 

“And is not knowing all easy for you to accept?” Byleth honestly asks them, remembering how upset she had been when Edelgard had tried to hide from her that King Dimitri was planning to attack Enbarr. 

“Not at all.” both women say at the same time. 

“But we do it all the same.” Ingrid adds with a smile. 

Dorothea nods. 

“Besides, she has gotten better at sharing with us her fears and concerns.” she chuckles. “And I know that, even if it’s unpleasant news, she will tell us when the time is right. That’s how it was at Garreg Mach. She didn’t try to keep her mask on or involvement with the Empire hidden. The moment she knew she needed to reveal herself to take her place as Emperor, that was the day she told us the truth.” 

Ingrid nods. 

“When I discovered her true intentions months before the fight at the Holy Mausoleum, she could have denied my accusations and pretended that nothing happened. She could have killed me for all I know.” Ingrid chuckles. “Instead, she saw an opportunity in me knowing the truth and told me all.” 

Byleth nods in understanding, realizing that the two women in front of her had completely different relationships with Edelgard and that comparing her own situation with the Emperor to theirs didn’t make sense. 

The fact that she had to, by proxy, be so close to Edelgard was already something that the two women didn’t have. They had years to know Edelgard and learn how she was as a person and Emperor. 

Byleth didn’t have that advantage. 

_ “But like you said, it’s different for you too. Those two know Edelgard as the Adrestian Princess and now Emperor. Their friend with too many responsibilities that rose to fight the corruption of the Church and Faerghus. But to you, she is just Edelgard: The woman you chose to save when chased by bandits.”  _ Sothis reminds her.

_ “The Emperor I chose to follow.”  _ Byleth smiles to herself.

“I suspect your question had to do with something she is not ready to tell you or is keeping hidden from you?” Dorothea asks her knowingly. 

Byleth nods. 

“But then again, I also have my own secrets so it’s pretty hypocritical of me to hold that against her.” 

“Don’t we all?” Ingrid says to Byleth. “And believe me, if there comes a time when she needs to know more about you, she will straight up ask you.” 

Dorothea laughs at this. 

Yet before she can add anything else to the conversation, they see a rush of soldiers make their way through, their frazzled state immediately putting them on alert. 

Letting Ingrid take the lead and lowering their heads, Dorothea and Byleth watch the knight’s posture change, her relaxed demeanor gone. 

“Soldiers!” she says firmly and this makes the troop stop, opening their eyes in shock when they see who called them. “Explain to me why you’re dangerously running through the hallways with your weapons at the ready.” 

“Lady Galatea.” they bow to her and one woman steps forward, probably their supervisor. “We were just informed that Lady Cornelia is returning to Arianrhod and she is bringing Count Rowe and Lord Rodrigue with her.” 

The news make Byleth and Dorothea nervous.

“We are adding extra protection since we have important Faerghus’ members arriving at the citadel.” 

“Why would they need extra protection if they are to remain inside the castle??” 

“All we were informed is that they needed extra soldiers at the courtyard.” the woman tells her. 

_ So whatever business they have is going to take place outside the castle walls.  _

“Do you have an estimated time of arrival?” Ingrid asks her. 

“Thirty minutes at most.” she says to her while looking sideways, clearly wanting to be excused. 

“You may proceed.” the knight lets them all go and the moment the three are alone again, the blonde woman lets herself relax, fear now evident on her face. 

“This is not normal.” she whispers. “She usually stays the day at Fhirdiad and returns by the next morning. Also, the fact that Lord Rodrigue and Count Rowe are with her is worrisome as well.” 

“Too worrisome to ignore.” Byleth murmurs. “We need to stay and see what will be happening.” 

“That’s suicide.” Dorothea tells her. “If they find Ingrid here, they’ll ask her why she came and that will make Cornelia and the rest of the war council suspect her.” 

Byleth nods. 

“Agreed. And by staying I didn’t mean at the castle’s vicinity. If we leave through the front door and then use one of the routes highlighted on the map then we can make our way back into the courtyard without being seen.” 

“She has a point.” Ingrid agrees with Byleth. “I also want to know what Cornelia is planning with Count Rowe and Lord Rodrigue.” 

“As long as we’re careful. Remember, we all agreed we wouldn’t take any unnecessary risks. The moment it gets dangerous, we leave.” Dorothea tells them firmly. 

Byleth and Ingrid nod, knowing that the brunette was very serious about this. 

Making sure of leaving the fortress through the front entrance, the three women step up to a side door that was conveniently hidden by a large stone wall. After confirming that no one was around, the three women step in, opening the door’s lock with the password the map had provided for them. Quickly making their way in, Byleth closed the door behind them, not wanting to reveal its location to any passersby. 

Carefully heading to the front, Byleth uses her magic to create a fireball to light their way. The hidden passage had many torches around it, all of them in pretty good condition considering the fact that this place hadn’t been seen by anyone in many years. Taking note of this for future consideration, the mercenary calmly leads the two other women into the fortress’ courtyard, immediately noticing that the guards that were usually closer to the walls had moved to the main gardens. 

Probably to be closer to Cornelia and the other nobles. 

Silently walking to a hidden area that would still allow them to see the main garden, the three women exhale in relief at having successfully infiltrated the fortress. 

Yet before they can comment on their success, they see a carriage make its way into the courtyard. And, stepping down from it, are a woman and three men, one of them wearing silver armor. 

“That’s Cornelia.” Ingrid confirms to them as they watch the four of them walk to a table with some food and tea in it. “The man with the blue cape is Lord Rodrigue, member of King Dimitri’s war council. And, to his right is Count Rowe, ruler of House Rowe which hosts Arianrhod. And the knight is…” 

“Gwendal.” Byleth says in complete awe at finally seeing the man many mercenaries spoke of. “The Gray Lion.” 

“Not surprised you know of him, Byleth. He’s very famous among warriors and mercenaries.” 

_ “What does she mean?”  _ Sothis asks her. 

“The Gray Lion is known for his many victories on the battlefield. His discipline is such that he is willing to fight any battle if ordered and will completely ignore any attempts to negotiate.” Byleth tells them. “Many mercenaries that have been hired by House Rowe mentioned how ruthless he was to their enemies and how brutal he could be to his own troops.” she says to all of them. 

_ “He does look scary.”  _ Sothis says as she watches as well what is happening.  _ “But the scarier one out of all of them is that woman. There’s this presence within her that feels wrong.”  _ she tells her worriedly.  _ “Make sure you stay away from her.”  _

Nodding, Byleth and the others watch as a group of dark mages approach Cornelia and her guests, bowing to them before preparing to cast a spell. 

“That is no normal spell.” Dorothea tells them as she takes note of the shapes the dark mages are making. “It’s a group incantation that is absorbing almost all of their magic.” 

“What type of spell would need that much magic?” Ingrid asks but is answered by a loud rumbling and shaking coming from everywhere. 

Turning around, the three women freeze when they see a gigantic strange doll make its way into the courtyard, moving by itself and performing movements with its hands. 

“What the hell is that?” Ingrid whispers in complete shock as she sees the strange weapon stop in front of Cornelia. 

“Show them what you can do, my lovely doll.” the mage smirks and watches in delight the fear on Count Rowe and Lord Rodrigue’s faces as her doll uses a light spell that pierces the ground in front of it. 

That amount of power… 

“It can’t be natural.” Dorothea whispers, completely terrified. “To use that much magic in one attack? It’s not humanly possible.” 

“Cornelia, just what the hell is this thing?!” they hear Lord Rodrigue ask her worriedly. 

“Some weapons I found during my research here at Arianrhod. It took me years to get them to work, but as you can see, they are powerful and capable of following orders. For sure this will give us an advantage over the Empire.” she chuckles. “One of these dolls can replace one whole battalion in a battle.” 

“A whole battalion.” Ingrid says horrified as they hear Cornelia command it to use another attack. 

“You see, with the Titanus aiding us, Enbarr will no longer be a safe place for the Emperor.” she chuckles. “These will be King Dimitri’s secret weapons to bring the war to an end.” 

“How many of these strange creatures do you have available?” Count Rowe asks her in complete awe. 

“Five more.” she states. “Enough for our King to use in his conquest of Adrestia.” she smirks at Rodrigue. “Surely you can go ahead and relay to him all you have seen?” 

Nodding, Rodrigue bows and steps away, not happy with the exhibition Cornelia had put for them but obligated to share this with the king. 

“He’ll go ahead and wish to launch an attack right away after showing him this.” Count Rowe tells Cornelia simply. “Are you sure it was alright to show the Titanus to them?” 

Cornelia nods. 

“It all falls within our plans, Count Rowe.” she assures him and the way she says this immediately makes Byleth nervous. 

The two of them, Count Rowe and Cornelia, were not working for King Dimitri. 

And not only that, but Cornelia had clearly been lying about the number of dolls she had. If she was telling them that she had five Titanus available, she must in fact have double or triple that. 

In the blink of an eye, Arianrhod had become more dangerous than what they thought it could be. And they needed to return to Enbarr to let Edelgard know this right away. 


	18. Farewell and Return to Enbarr

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following their discovery of Cornelia's secret weapons, Bytleth, Dorothea and Ingrid determine that the two Empire spies need to return to Enbarr as soon as possible.   
> Back at Enbarr, Edelgard is struggling to keep her nightmares under control.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter! Surprise! :) 
> 
> Hope you like this one as well and let me know what you all think about it!
> 
> Also, I just made myself twitter, @geekwithacurio1, so go follow me if you would like :)

_ Arianrhod, west of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus _

After discovering the secret weapons Cornelia had in Arianrhod, Byleth, Dorothea and Ingrid knew that they needed to inform Edelgard of this new development right away. True, the maps and schematics had been correct in giving them a secure entry into the fortress. But, what they didn’t mention were the weird magical weapons that were hidden at Arianrhod. 

And from the demonstration Cornelia had at the courtyard, they seemed strong enough to fight full battalions at once. Something that shouldn’t have been possible yet the proof had literally been in front of their eyes. 

“What we saw today was very worrisome.” Dorothea murmurs as she takes a sip of her tea, the three having returned to Ingrid’s base after the demonstration. “Those ‘dolls’, as Cornelia called them, are something I have never seen before.” 

“Me neither.” Ingrid says while sitting down. “And to think that weapons such as those had always been at Arianrhod. Where? And how was she even able to activate them?” 

_ “Those things are not made by humans.”  _ Sothis says in her mind.  _ “They didn’t feel like you or your friends do, Byleth.”  _

_ “What do you mean then?”  _ Byleth asks her. 

_ “I don’t know.”  _ she admits.  _ “But it’s the same bad feeling that I got from that mage.”  _ she groans.  _ “I feel like it’s familiar to me yet at the same time it’s not. Ugh, why is it that I can’t remember a thing?!”  _

_ “Don’t worry.”  _ Byleth tells her softly.  _ “You telling me that the mage and those dolls have a similar presence is very helpful.”  _ she looks at Dorothea.  _ “Perhaps something that Dorothea sensed as well or could explain better?”  _

Sothis nods, smiling thankfully at the bluenette woman for cheering her up. 

“What about the magic that was used to activate them?” Byleth asks Dorothea. “Was that a spell you’re familiar with?” 

Dorothea shakes her head. 

“Then again, Hubie and Lysithea are more familiar with dark magic than I am.” she says calmly. “And I remember the exact words and gestures they used to activate it.” 

“Meaning that we won’t be able to get any answers until we return to Enbarr.” the mercenary murmurs as she looks at Ingrid. “Will you be coming with us?” 

Ingrid shakes her head. 

“There’s plenty we still don’t know about Cornelia and her plans regarding Dimitri. It would be pointless of me to leave when more information can be obtained, especially now that Lord Rodrigue will tell Dimitri what those dolls can do. He’ll want to attack Edelgard right away.” 

“We can assume that Dimitri will plan to attack Empire territory the moment he’s done preparing his army. That could take him a week, maybe two at most?” she asks Ingrid who nods. 

“The soldiers are very tired so they won't be able to immediately march to the border. And as much as Dimitri will want to advance his army, he’ll also be slower because of those dolls.” 

“Which gives us just enough time to return to Enbarr and tell Edelgard what happened.” Dorothea says. “In fact, even then we may need to travel faster than usual.” she stares at Byleth. “Perhaps consider that alternative return route that Hubert planned for us?” 

Byleth nods. 

“The sooner we are back in Enbarr, the better.” 

“I’ll stay behind and try to get a better understanding of how Dimitri and the rest of the Blue Lions will react. Perhaps get a closer look at what Lord Rodrigue thinks and what Cornelia’s plans are.” Ingrid adds. “Although the War Council has done its best to keep us out of the loop from the war effort, they still select us as commanders for the battles, so me being at the Royal Castle wouldn’t surprise anyone.” 

“Just please be careful?” Dorothea tells her softly. “No information is worth your life, my friend. And I know Edie thinks the same thing.” 

Ingrid smiles. 

“I’ll be very careful.” she promises them. “And only reach out to you if something really major were to happen. But for the time being, we should assume that Dimitri will plan an attack on the Adrestian border within two weeks.” 

“That makes sense.” Byleth says. “There was one thing I noticed when Cornelia was doing the demonstration and that was that the dolls only responded to Cornelia’s commands.” 

“Does that mean then that the dolls need Cornelia to be nearby to be used?” Ingrid asks. 

“Perhaps. Then again, they seem to have some independence and capacity to make decisions. After the first command, Cornelia didn’t have to give them any extra instructions and they were able to move and use their magic.” Dorothea says. 

_ “And the magic used to activate them wasn’t her own.”  _ Sothis adds. 

“And the magic used to activate them was dark magic. Yet not Cornelia’s.” 

“Meaning that anyone with dark magic can activate them but maybe not anyone can command them.” Byleth summarises. “Unfortunately, until they get tested on a battlefield we won’t really know what they’re capable of doing.” she adds somberly. 

“Hopefully it won’t come to that.” Dorothea murmurs. “I don’t think anyone is prepared to face a weapon like that.” 

“Makes me wonder just who the hell Cornelia is and how was she able to uncover such strange technology?” Ingrid asks worriedly. “Because I’ve never heard of anything like it.” 

“No one has.” the mage says. “And regarding Cornelia, we may be able to find some information about her back in Enbarr since she lived there before she came to Fhirdiad.” Dorothea tells them.

“It’s worth a try.” the knight agrees. “I’ll also do some digging to see if there’s information about her arrival to the Kingdom and what she did for King Lambert.” 

“We need to be careful when asking questions about her.” Byleth warns them. “Although we don’t know who’s working with her, it’s clear she’s not the only one operating behind the scenes.” 

“Why do you think that?” Dorothea asks her. 

“How else would she have been able to hide those dolls for so many years in Arianrhod?” the mercenary asks. “Even with Count Rowe giving her control over the fortress, he was just as surprised as Lord Rodrigue was about them.” 

“You’re right.” Ingrid says. “Even though they’re working together, he was completely unaware of the dolls’ existence.” 

“To move, test and operate those dolls… Someone had to help her hide it from the Kingdom and the Empire.” Byleth murmurs. “Someone powerful enough to get people to turn a blind eye to her machinations.” she stares at Ingrid. “Be extremely careful with her, Ingrid. I have a bad feeling about her.” 

Ingrid nods, taking the mercenary’s words to heart. 

* * *

After spending most of the evening discussing their theories about Cornelia and the dolls, the three women had agreed to head to bed. Since they would all be departing Arianrhod early in the morning, being able to have a good night’s sleep was going to be extremely helpful. 

And yet here Byleth was, making her way to the back porch and sitting on one of the stairs. 

Why was it that she now couldn’t fall asleep? 

“You’re thinking too many things.” Sothis tells her as she appears in front of her. “Theories, plans, strategies… No surprise you aren’t able to sleep with these things in your mind. Even  _ I  _ can’t fall asleep because of them.” 

_ Right, Sothis also shared her thoughts…  _

“I’m sorry.” Byleth apologizes. “I’m really trying to stop thinking about it.” she chuckles bitterly. “But trying to not think about it makes me think more about it.” 

“Understandable.” the green-haired girl sits down next to her. “Which is why you need a distraction. Something else to talk about. And  _ I  _ happen to know what.” she smirks. 

Byleth waits for her to elaborate. 

“You’re starting to like her.” Sothis tells her. “The knight.” 

The mercenary nods because there was no reason to deny it. The longer she spent around Ingrid, the more she came to understand why Edelgard and Dorothea valued her friendship. 

“She’s a good fighter and an honest person.” Byleth says. “A real knight.” 

“It’s surprising though that such a person would betray their king and their kingdom.” Sothis murmurs. “Makes you wonder what she saw during her time in Garreg Mach that made her doubt Dimitri.” 

“True. And while I sense her motives are not completely selfless, most do seem to be from being scared of what Faerghus’ King is becoming.” 

“The Boar… A beast seeking blood. Edelgard’s blood.” Sothis murmurs and the thought of the Emperor being chased down by Dimitri makes Byleth have chills. 

The Ashen Demon never had chills. 

“We won’t let that happen of course!” Sothis realizes how her words were taken by Byleth. “We made a promise to protect Edelgard and I intend to help you keep it.” 

“Thank you.” Byleth smiles at her, ready to add more. 

Yet before she’s able to, she hears footsteps heading their way. Turning around to see who it is, she is a little surprised at noticing Ingrid smiling at her with two cups of tea in her hands. 

“Couldn’t sleep either?” the blonde asks her as she hands her a cup. 

“Not really.” Byleth takes the offered cup and drinks, smiling at the taste. “I have a lot on my mind.” 

Ingrid stares at her, clearly waiting for her to elaborate more. 

“I feel that there’s someone else playing with us behind the scenes.” she admits to the knight. “And that Dimitri is just one more of their unsuspecting pawns.” 

“Because of what Cornelia and Count Rowe said earlier?” 

Byleth nods. 

“Most probably.” Ingrid muses. “Would it really be that surprising though? Because isn’t that what the Church of Seiros has done for years as well? Use others to enact their own plans to get to the social standing they have today?” 

“You’re right.” she chuckles. “For a moment I completely forgot about them.” she huffs. “The Church, Faerghus. This new invisible enemy…” 

Ingrid chuckles. 

“Thinking that your Emperor has made a lot of enemies for herself?” she looks up at the dark sky. “To be honest, she was always like this: Blunt and brutally honest. Couldn’t keep herself from saying what she always meant for the life of her. Even with the Archbishop, there were times where Edelgard just stared at her as if the woman was her biggest enemy. Which she was.” Ingrid chuckles. “One would expect better of a noble.” 

“How come?” 

“We nobles are taught from an early age to compromise and to hide our true intentions. To be too honest is a way to get burned by your peers. Your motives need to remain secret so one else can utilize them against you.” the blonde explains. “Hence, when you talk to a noble, they always hide their true intentions from you.” 

“Huh. I always thought they did it because they considered themselves superior and saw us as unintelligent enough to understand them.” 

“Some do see it that way.” Ingrid agrees with her. “But a noble can’t get away with treating other nobility like that. So instead they’re taught to lie with fancy words and hide their true feelings in shallow displays of emotions.” 

“That sounds exhausting.” Byleth says and Sothis agrees with her. 

_ “Can you imagine never being able to say what you really feel?”  _

“You get used to it. And after a while, it becomes completely normal. So to see another noble do the opposite... It shocks you.” 

“And that was Edelgard for you?” 

Ingrid nods. 

“Don’t get me wrong, she was polite and courteous to everyone at the academy. Even to the Archbishop herself until she declared war.” she smiles. “But she never shied away from sharing how she truly felt about things. About the church, about the nobility system, about crests. She was so open with her ideals that now that I think back on her confession about her true intentions; some part of me already knew she was capable of doing such a thing.” 

“Is that why you chose to follow her?” Byleth asks her. 

“I chose to follow her because I want to live in the world she’s promised us. One where crests no longer define you and you earn things through your own hard work. Nobles are willing to do almost anything to try to include a crest into their bloodline. Crests give families their nobility status and at the same time can make you become an outcast if you’re born crestless.” 

“Nobles don’t have it easy either, huh.” Byleth murmurs. “And to think that there are so many commoners out there wishing to be like you all.” 

Ingrid laughs. 

“How does the saying go: The grass is always greener on the other side?” 

Byleth chuckles. 

“Why did you choose to follow Edelgard?” the blonde asks her. 

“Because doing so was the first thing I ever wanted to do.” Byleth smiles softly. “I don’t feel things the same way others do. Most of the time, I’m indifferent towards people and places. Yet when Edelgard offered me the job, I found myself wanting to say yes. And when she asked me what it was that  _ I  _ wanted to do, the first thing that came to my mind was to stay next to her. I believe in her. I miss her.” she whispers to her own surprise. 

“It’s nice, isn’t it? To find someone to believe in?” Ingrid asks her and this makes the mercenary give her a surprised look. “I was the same way. Always doing things out of duty, responsibility or guilt. Never out of my volition. Then Edelgard asked me to join her and I’ve never regretted my decision.” 

“I can understand what you mean.” Byleth tells her honestly and the two fall into a comfortable silence. 

“Can I be honest with you for a moment?” Ingrid asks her out of the blue. 

Byleth nods, a little confused at the sudden seriousness of the blonde woman. 

“I know that we didn’t start things on the right foot when we first met, with me challenging you to a duel and all of that.” she blushes. “But I feel I can trust your feelings for Edelgard.” 

“My feelings for Edelgard?” Byleth is confused. 

“You care for her, do you not? And not in the professional way.” Ingrid asks her. 

The mercenary nods. 

“So you would protect her not because it’s your job but because she’s special to you, right?” 

“Without hesitation.” she says confidently. 

“Exactly. And it’s those feelings I trust.” Ingrid smiles at her. “Which is why I want to apologize to you. For being suspicious of you.” 

“There’s nothing to apologize for. I would have been the same way.” she looks down. “I was also the same way. But not for the same reasons.” 

“Meaning?” 

“I was upset at you. For being close to Edelgard.” Byleth admits to her. 

_ I was jealous.  _

The knight smiles understandingly. 

“You know, I’ve heard of you from before we met, Byleth.” she admits to the bluenette. “You’re very famous among the soldiers of Fodlan.” 

This statement makes Byleth look downwards, expecting the woman in front of her to finally tell her she had no right in feeling things. 

That the Ashen Demons had no right in doing so. 

“I’m very happy to see that you’re more than what the stories tell about you.” Ingrid says to her warmly. “And that you’ve found a purpose you’re willing to pursue.” 

“I… Thank you Ingrid.” 

“Just don’t get too comfortable.” the knight smirks at her. “When the war is over, I plan to join my Emperor and become her knight.” 

“Funny, she already has a protector.” she teases her back but then gives the blonde an honest smile. “But it would be great to have you besides me keeping watch.” 

“Likewise Byleth.” Ingrid smiles as the two stare at the sky above them. “Likewise.” 

* * *

_ Enbarr, Capital of Adrestia _

Analyzing for the tenth time the map in front of her, Edelgard knows she’s reaching that level of exhaustion that prevented her from being productive. Having spent most of her time between talks and planning sessions with her generals, as well as continuing her training with the Strike Force to make it seem that nothing was amiss; Edelgard knew she would soon collapse due to exhaustion. 

While she went to bed at a decent time each night, her usual nightmares prevented her from falling back asleep. And, it was only when she had to spend her first night without Byleth keeping watch on her that she realized how used she had become to the mercenary’s presence. Not only that, but Byleth always woke her up before she had a really bad nightmare, which helped her fall back asleep and have a dreamless rest. 

Something that hadn’t happened since her protector left a week ago. 

“Your Majesty.” she hears Flowa say worriedly as she helps her take her armor off. “You really need to rest. It’s been four days since you last slept.” 

“I know.” Edelgard smiles sadly at her. “I really am trying. But for some reason I find myself simply staring at the roof, sleepless.” 

_ Easier to say that than to admit that my nightmares keep me awake during the rest of the night.  _

“Perhaps it’s time we talk to one of the medics so they make you a concoction. Something to help you sleep.” 

“No.” she says firmly and notices Flowa flinch a little. “Sorry Flowa, but you know how much I dislike to use concoctions.” 

“I understand.” the maid tells her softly. “How about tea? Would you be willing to try that, Your Majesty?” 

“You know I can never refuse your tea.” she smiles but then stands up and takes her dagger out when she senses someone warping into her room. “Dorothea? Byleth?” she is extremely confused at the presence of her two friends. “When? How? What is going on?” 

“Your Majesty, our apologies for just bursting into your room without permission.” Byleth starts saying rapidly. “But we have news for you.” 

“News that can’t wait, Edie.” Dorothea adds and smiles when the door to Edelgard’s room opens, only to see Hubert and Lysithea with miasmas in their hands. 

“Oh it’s you two.” Lysithea murmurs as she relaxes. “I sensed someone warping near Edelgard’s room so I came to see who it was.” 

Hubert gives Dorothea an annoyed look, which only makes the mage chuckle. 

“We have our reasons for doing this Hubie.” the brunette tells him and then becomes serious. “And they’re not good.” 

“Flowa.” Edelgard says and they all watch the maid leave the room quietly. “Now, tell me what happened.” 

As the two women start telling her about Arianrhod, Cornelia and those strange dolls, Edelgard is able to get a clearer image of Thales' reasons for wanting her to attack the fortress. 

Those dolls were probably Agarthan technology, meaning that they had been moved from their headquarters at some point during Cornelia’s time in the Kingdom. But now that the war was ongoing, it made sense for Thales to recover those dolls and use them in future battles. And the only way for him to do so without getting his own hands dirty was by using her and her army. 

Not only that, but with her attacking Cornelia, that would give the woman the perfect opportunity to surrender and offer her services to the Empire, meaning that another snake would be making its way into her den. 

And that was the last thing she wanted. 

“I knew the schematics and maps were too good to be true.” she murmurs as she takes a seat. “But even with the risk that comes from fighting those dolls, the fact that there  _ is  _ a way for us to enter and recover Arianrhod is tempting enough. Especially after the threat of Dimitri attacking our borders within two weeks.” 

“If we attack first, we would be forcing them to be on the defensive and not the offensive.” Hubert adds. “Quite a difficult decision to make.” 

“I left the troops that were waiting for us back at the border.” Byleth tells the Emperor. “I wasn’t sure what you would want to do, but it didn’t make sense to make them march all the way back here if there’s the possibility of us launching an attack to seize the fortress.” 

“You’re right. And you both already established that we would only need a small-sized force to take Arianrhod. Our main army would be distracting the soldiers guarding the citadel while the Strike Force sneaks in through those weaknesses found on the fortress’ schematics.” 

Byleth and Dorothea nod. 

“I will think about this and make a quick decision regarding our next plan of action.” she promises them. “And Dorothea, could you please go ahead and show Hubert and Lysithea the spell that the dark mages used to activate the dolls? Maybe we can find a way to prevent them from doing so?” she asks them as they nod, Hubert leading both Dorothea and Lysithea away. 

The moment the three mages left, Byleth realized that she was now all alone with Edelgard. 

The woman she had spent most of her time thinking about since she left Enbarr on a secret mission for her. 

The woman she had realized she had missed while she was away. 

_ “I know what you’re thinking.”  _ Sothis says to her as she watches Edelgard close the door to her room to give them some privacy. 

_ “What do you mean?”  _ Byleth feigns ignorance. 

_ “You should tell her that you missed her.”  _

Taking a look at her hands, the mercenary doesn’t know what to say. It is true that during her trip to Arianrhod, Byleth had realized that she missed the Emperor. Not only that, but when she was faced with Ingrid and the relationship the knight had with Edelgard, the feelings that arose from realizing that there was another person willing to lay it all for the Emperor… 

Just thinking about it made Byleth feel uncomfortable. 

And because the mercenary wasn’t used to feeling so vulnerable, the first thing she thought of doing was to leave. 

“I should give you some privacy.” Byleth murmurs and watches Edelgard look surprisingly at her. “It is quite late and from the looks of it, it seems like you were ready to go to bed.” 

“I was.” the Emperor admits with a kind smile. “But now that you’re here, you don’t have to leave quite yet. I was hoping we could talk for a moment?” she looks embarrassed at admitting that. 

Nodding, the bluenette takes a seat in the same table she spent most of her nights keeping watch on Edelgard. 

“Tell me. How was your trip to Arianrhod? Had you ever been there before?” 

Byleth shakes her head. 

“The fortress was magnificent.” she admits. “I didn’t know the Empire’s history with it.” 

Edelgard nods. 

“The betrayal of House Rowe was never forgotten by the Adrestian nobility. Being able to recover Arianrhod from them would definitely make the other Adrestian noble families’ support increase.”

“And that’s why you’re having such a hard time determining what you want to do.” Byleth understands the woman’s dilemma. 

She needed the support of the noble families as well as the commoners from the Empire to continue using the troops and resources of Adrestia to fight against the Church and Kingdom. So for Edelgard to have the possibility of recovering a place that held such a symbolic and historical meaning to Adrestia… 

It would boost morale and create momentum for the Empire. 

Yet there was also the fact that there were some unforeseen complications if they chose to attack the fortress. 

Cornelia’s dolls for one. 

“I know the Empire would gain a big advantage if we capture Arianrhod. But after your report of Cornelia and her strange weapons… I hesitate in making a decision since you’ve stated that the best way to infiltrate the fortress is by using a small force and have our main army distract our enemy and its troops.” 

Byleth nods. 

“That means we would be the ones fighting those strange dolls.” Edelgard murmurs. 

“We  _ are  _ the most capable ones out of your soldiers to fight them.” the mercenary reminds her. “Not only that, but we can’t take the luxury of losing too many soldiers in this battle.” 

The Emperor knows all of this as well, but it was also nice to hear Byleth agree with her. 

“Do you think we have a chance of safely destroying those weapons?” Edelgard asks her. “The last thing I want is for our enemy to have those strange dolls but I also will not put our friends at risk.” 

“If we are careful enough and Dorothea, Hubert and Lysithea find a way to give us an advantage over the dolls; then I really think we have a chance.” 

“That’s reassuring to hear.” the Emperor tells her warmly. “Over the last couple of days we’ve done our best to be ready for any scenario.” she smiles at her. “And, we’ve also made some advances on the matter regarding our spy.” 

This makes Byleth look surprised at her. 

“Thanks to your clever trap, we were able to identify and capture the spy.” she stops the mercenary from asking her more questions with a soft smile. “I know you have many questions and I plan on answering them tomorrow, when we meet with the rest of the Strike Force.” 

Byleth nods, accepting the Emperor’s plan. 

“I don’t wish to continue talking about the war and battle strategies.” Edelgard adds shyly. “That’s not why I asked you to stay for a little longer.” she admits. 

The mercenary gulps at the way the noble woman blushes. 

_ “Tell her now!”  _ Sothis yells as she watches the two oblivious women talking.  _ “Now is the perfect time!”  _

“Why did you ask me to stay?” Byleth whispers vulnerably. 

The Emperor takes a moment to answer her, considering how honest and open she wanted to be with the woman in front of her. 

“Because “I’ve missed you, Byleth.” she admits, knowing her face must have been really red from how embarrassed she felt. 

_ “I’m surprised she actually said it.”  _ Sothis adds amusedly. 

Byleth blushes at this statement. 

“I… I’ve missed you too.’ she admits and the two women remain silent, not knowing what else to say to each other after having shared their feelings. 

Yet although it felt awkward, they couldn’t deny that both felt extremely happy at realizing that they had not been alone in feeling the absence of the other. 

“I know you must be extremely tired from your trip so you do not have to come keep guard tonight.” Edelgard tells her calmly after a comfortable silence. 

“But…” Byleth whispers and knows that Edelgard must be doing this to be considerate. “I was hoping I would be able to speak with you more tonight.” the bluenette admits with a blush and something about the way she says so makes Edelgard’s heart skip a beat. 

Although both women knew that they could easily continue talking as they were, there was something about being in complete darkness that allowed the two of them to open up to each other and share their worries and concerns. 

“I don’t want to impose.” Edelgard murmurs. 

“You’re not imposing!” Byleth immediately says. “I’m the one imposing on you.” she gets a little closer to Edelgard and notices the bags under her eyes. “Your Majesty, have you been able to sleep?” 

Edelgard doesn’t answer her, which is enough of an answer for her. 

During one of their many late-night talks, the white-haired woman had told Byleth how talking at night distracted her enough that it made her fall back into a dreamless sleep. 

So without her being around to keep watch, that must have meant that during the days she was gone; Edelgard had woken up from her nightmares completely terrified. And since no one had been there to talk to her, she must have been unable to fall asleep. 

Byleth had been gone for a week. 

“I  _ will  _ come to keep watch. You haven’t slept at all since I left and you need your sleep, Your Majesty.” Byleth says firmly. “Just… After I take a shower and get some dinner first.” she blushes when her stomach rumbles. 

This makes Edelgard laugh. 

“It seems like I can’t make you change your mind, can I?” she smiles at her. “But I’m glad to hear you say that, Byleth. I also wanted to talk more with you.” 

Now Byleth is the one blushing. 

“But for now, please go ahead and do what you need to do. I’ll be waiting for you.” Edelgard promises her as Byleth opens the door and leaves. “There are things I have to tell you.” she finishes and closes her eyes, knowing that it was time she told her protector about Those Who Slither in the Dark. 


	19. A Decision and A Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following Byleth's arrival to Enbarr and the promise of talking more once she was done having dinner, Edelgard can't help but feel doubts about the mercenary's reaction to her story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter update! Hope you all like it and you let me know what you think :)

_Enbarr, Capital of the Adrestian Empire_

As she watches Byleth leave her room with a soft smile on her face, Edelgard can’t stop herself from feeling guilty. When she decided something, it was difficult for Edelgard to feel any kind of regret about her choice. Instead, she just accepted the consequences of her decisions and moved on. From a very young age, the Emperor had learned to keep her cards close to her chest and to not reveal her true intentions to the people around her. Not only was it to protect herself from the many spies Thales had placed within the Empire, but it was also a way to make sure she wouldn’t get stabbed in the back by the people who said were her ‘supporters’. 

Until she went to Garreg Mach and met the Black Eagles. 

Talking to them, sharing her time with them and growing close to them made Edelgard momentarily forget all about her grand plans. It made her feel like a young woman without the constant worries and concerns she experienced as the royal heir of Adrestia. And while her friends did treat her a little differently because of her status, it wasn’t done to gain her favor: It was done out of respect and trust. 

It made Edelgard, for the first time in her life, feel guilty about the lies she kept from her friends.

And now, as she sat down in her bed and thought of what Dorothea and Byleth had told her earlier, she couldn’t help but feel guilty again: For not telling Byleth the truth about the Dark Mages that had attacked them at Enbarr, nor her suspicions about the spy at the castle or the maps they had obtained from Thales. 

True, they had not been completely confident about their theory, but like Hubert and her had suspected from the moment Thales gave her those maps; everything about Faerghus’ instability and the manipulation of Dimitri pointed to the Agarthans, with Cornelia leading her section of dark mages from Arianrhod. 

Honestly, she should have suspected that just like Thales was close to her, another Agarthan must have been tasked with doing the same in Faerghus. Cornelia had seemed like a good person to suspect-- with the way she suddenly got involved in Fhirdiad politics and the many rumors that were coming from Arianrhod. Still, it wasn’t until Thales brought her those maps that they were able to confirm that Cornelia was an Agarthan as well. A former Imperial mage, the woman had left Enbarr for Fhirdiad, somehow getting close to former King Lambert. That connection, which was then solidified with her eradicating the epidemic that shook Faerghus, was enough to give her political power in Fhirdiad. And while they couldn’t be sure of when the switch happened between the real Cornelia and her Agarthan impostor, it was clear that the woman who was now in charge of Arianrhod was no longer human. 

The Agarthans, who were not truly human and had lived in the shadows far too long, were the ones that rebelled against the Nabateans and manipulated Nemesis and the Ten Heroes to slaughter them all. Yet with Seiros defeating Nemesis and then conducting a purge that made the Agarthans hide in the shadows, it wasn’t surprising that they would reemerge more evil and vicious than before. And although it had taken them longer than expected, Edelgard and Hubert discovered that the Agarthans now had spies and forces all around Fodlan. 

Which had been why Edelgard told the Black Eagles about Those Who Slither in the Dark a year into the war. 

It all happened during a mission in which the Black Eagles went to destroy an abandoned library that many claimed had obscure books and weapons. Because Edelgard wanted to make sure that Thales didn’t obtain anything from it, she went with the Strike Force to destroy it, only to run into dark mages and soldiers that were clearly not human. 

They had been Agarthans. 

After an exhaustive fight in which the Black Eagles fought to their limits, Edelgard realized that she couldn’t keep the existence of the Agarthans a secret from them. Not when it was clear the Agarthans had infiltrated her army and palace. 

The talk they had, of course, had been unpleasant, with her friends questioning her reasons for keeping it a secret. 

_ Another secret.  _

Yet when she confessed everything to them, and showed them her two crests and shared with them her plans of eliminating the Agarthans once they were done with fighting the church… 

The same thing that had happened at the Holy Mausoleum happened again. 

The Black Eagles chose her again. 

And the fact that they stayed, yet again, convinced Edelgard that she could rely on them. That they would stay by her side. 

Perhaps that was why it was hard for her to think of the best way to tell Byleth about the Agarthans. Because she was scared that this secret would make the mercenary say she had enough. 

That she would leave. 

“No. I can’t think that way.” Edelgard whispers to herself as she stands up and looks at herself in the mirror. “I won’t let my fears speak for Byleth.” 

Instead, she was going to focus on her next steps. Now that she knew what Thales was planning, Edelgard was more determined than ever to make sure he didn’t get away with it. If he were to somehow get his hands on all those Agarthan weapons… 

_ He would definitely use them on her next.  _

And he knew that she knew this, which was another reason why he wanted her to invade Arianrhod. Thales wanted to show Edelgard how powerful they were and that she should think twice before challenging him. 

Then again, Edelgard wasn’t easily intimidated. Without meaning to, Thales had given Edelgard the perfect opportunity to destroy those magic weapons and eliminate some Agarthans as well. With Hubert confirming that the dark mages that attacked them at Sauin were Agarthan, it would be advantageous for them to get rid of the ones in Faerghus. 

It was too good of an opportunity to waste. 

Yet there was also the risk of those dolls being too powerful. 

Trusting that Hubert, Lysithea and probably Linhardt, were going to find a way to slow the dolls down or even stop them, all Edelgard can do is have faith in their abilities and in the strength of her people. 

People that now included Byleth as well. 

“I have to tell her.” she whispers to herself as she squeezes her hands. “I have to tell her the truth about them.”

_ You know what would be easiest, right?  _

_ Just show her those awful scars.  _

_ Let her see your scarred hands.  _

Closing her eyes, Edelgard does her best to stop her insecurities from taking a hold of her. Telling Byleth about Those Who Slither in the Dark was inevitable, especially when the bluenette chose to stay. Byleth had chosen her and the Emperor didn’t want to keep more secrets from her protector if she could help it.

Even if telling Byleth  about it will only make Edelgard vividly remember the terrible screams and anguish her siblings experienced at their hands. Even if it meant going over the many nights where Edelgard was in so much pain that she couldn’t sleep. Even if it meant telling Byleth how she had felt when she looked at herself in the mirror and saw a stranger staring back at her…

She  _ had  _ to tell her. 

Not only did it feel wrong to keep this a secret from the bluenette, but the more the mercenary knew about the Agarthans, the better prepared she would be to defend herself and protect Edelgard. 

It should have been an easy decision to take, and yet here she was…

Hesitating.

Stepping away from the mirror and wanting to focus on simpler things, Edelgard can’t help but think that for the first time since this war started, they were finally close to destabilizing the Agarthans. Not only was Thales getting careless with his spies and his dark mages, but it seemed like he had too many things going on at once. 

And Edelgard wanted to make him pay for that. 

Nodding in acceptance, the Emperor starts exploring different scenarios and conversations in which she tells Byleth about the Agarthans. From what she had already shared with the bluenette, it wouldn’t be difficult to connect her family’s past to the Agarthans and go from there. 

And if it came to worse, like those familiar voices had said, there was another option. 

One that Edelgard wanted to avoid at all costs. 

Taking one of her gloves off, the white-haired woman stares at her hand, the scars on it daily reminders of the horrors and unbearable pain she had experienced. But like she had promised herself when she made it out of those cells, Edelgard was going to get revenge for her family. 

“And I need Byleth by my side to make that happen.” she admits as she moves to continue preparing for bed. 

Now that she knew Byleth willingly chose to follow her, the Emperor felt better about sharing her story with the mercenary. While it had been extremely difficult to do so with all the Black Eagles staring expectantly at her, this time she felt she had more control over the situation. Not only would the darkness help her in keeping her emotions hidden from Byleth, but it would also keep Byleth’s reactions hidden from Edelgard.

The last thing she wanted to see on the mercenary’s eyes was pity. 

From the moment Byleth arrived at Enbarr, the mercenary had treated Edelgard as an equal-- which was something she immensely appreciated. She loved the Black Eagles, of course, but she had a sense of responsibility towards them. Since she was the one that involved them in this war, it was her duty to make sure they were safe. 

And she knew her Black Eagles were just as determined to do the same for her. 

But Byleth’s situation and arrival to Enbaar automatically made things different for them. It was a relationship of mutual interests that evolved into a true friendship. And while they both had many secrets, it didn’t feel like those secrets were a burden or preventing them from getting closer. 

In fact, the closer they got, the more comfortable they were about opening up to each other. 

Perhaps that was what friendship was supposed to look like? 

Chuckling at the thought, the Emperor wonders how Byleth will react when she tells her about the Agarthans and their relationship with her and the war. 

Will she hate her for siding with them? For siding with the same people who killed her family? 

Or will she understand? 

Getting to her bed, the Emperor takes one last look at her room before blowing off the candles, choosing to try to get some sleep while she waits for Byleth to return. 

_ Not that I’ll get any even if I wanted to…  _ she thinks as she closes her eyes. 

* * *

“It was them Hubie.” Dorothea says to the dark bishop the moment they leave Edelgard’s room and head to a secret meeting room. “The moment they activated that spell, I knew it wasn’t something from this world.” she tells them the words and shows them the gestures the dark magicians used. 

Staring at the familiar hand movements and words coming out of Dorothea’s mouth, the two dark magic experts agree with the mage. 

This was definitely the Agarthans. 

“We always suspected that Cornelia was one of them.” Hubert murmurs. “All this does is confirm our suspicions.” 

“Did you tell the Professor about them?” Lysithea asks her firmly. 

Dorothea shakes her head. 

“That’s not my story to tell.” she says softly. “Though she suspects that what we just saw is not normal.” 

Lysithea nods. 

“She would be a fool if she didn’t.” the younger mage murmurs and then looks at Hubert. “Do you think we’ll be able to prepare something to either prevent or slow down those dark mages from activating the dolls?” 

“Perhaps.” Hubert says. “Linhardt was able to get some Agarthan books from that secret library we discovered last year. It may be prudent to include him in our research.” he stares at Dorothea. “What did Ingrid suspect?” 

“If she suspected something, she didn’t mention it.” she says. “Though I also do not know how much Edie shared with her about the Agarthans. She may or may not be aware of their existence for all I know.” she huffs. “Honestly, Edie and her secrets can get a little annoying at times.” 

Lysithea chuckles. 

“That’s Edelgard for you.” she smiles. “Always keeping her cards close to her chest.” 

“Indeed.” Hubert smirks. “Her Majesty acts this way to make sure our enemies are not aware of her true intentions-- is what I would like to say. But we all know the true reason is that she wants to protect you from possible harm and suspicion.” he murmurs. “The least our spies and contacts know about our true enemies, the safer they are from them.” 

“I know.” Dorothea huffs. “Yet just because I understand that doesn’t mean I have to like it.” she pouts. 

“Hopefully things will change soon.” Lysithea says softly. “And there will no longer be a time when we have to worry about secret organizations and hidden ancient civilizations trying to control Fodlan from the shadows.”

“That is what we are all fighting for.” Hubert agrees with her. 

“We are fighting for Edie’s vision of a new Fodlan.” Dorothea smiles softly. “A better Fodlan.” 

Lysithea and Hubert nod. 

“Yes we are.” Lysithea says as she looks at Dorothea. “And not to be rude or anything, but we can see how exhausted you are from your trip. You should consider resting and checking on your girlfriend.” 

“My girlfriend?” Dorothea asks with a blush. 

“Weren’t Petra and her dating?” Lysithea asks Hubert who is smirking at the brunette. “I thought it was pretty obvious.” 

“We are not dating.” she murmurs. 

“Didn’t seem that way to me with how Petra’s mood has been like since you left.” 

“Is she alright?” the brunette asks immediately, concern over the Brigid woman overriding her embarrassment. 

“You see.” Lysithea says to Hubert. “So obvious.” 

Hubert chuckles. 

“Lysithea is right. There is nothing else you can do for the Emperor tonight, Dorothea. Leave the rest to us and go see Petra. She has missed you.” he adds to Dorothea’s surprise. 

“I… I will do so.” she tells them and leaves the room, confused about the many things the two dark mages had said about Petra. 

Had she really been that upset about her absence? 

And if so, what did that even mean? Petra and her were close, of course, but the Brigid woman had never shown her that the feelings she had for her went beyond friendship. 

Then again, neither had Dorothea. 

Still thinking about what Hubert and Lysithea had said, the brunette fails to notice that she has already arrived at her room. Groaning as she opens the door, she plans to change her clothes before making her way to Petra’s room. Yet to her surprise, Dorothea sees the purple-haired woman sitting on her bed, clearly waiting for her. 

“Petra…” Dorothea whispers as she closes the door. “What are you doing here?” 

Instead of answering her, Petra stands up and closes the distance between them, hugging the brunette mage tight. 

“Petra?” she asks, happily confused about the way her friend was opening up and showing to her how she felt. 

“Welcome back.” the purple-haired woman says as she squeezes her. “I have missed you.” 

_ Oh,  _ she thinks as she feels herself blushing from the sudden confession. 

Petra was always so careful about her words and actions, taking her time to think of the right word and what she wanted to express with said word. 

So to hear her say all of this, it had to mean that Petra really meant it. 

And Dorothea still hadn’t responded to her!

“I’ve missed you too.” Dorothea finally says as she hugs Petra back. “So much.” 

Feeling the other woman relax at her words, Dorothea is surprised when the hold Petra has on her gets loose. Confused, she lets her step away so that the two can see each other. 

“I am very glad to hear that.” Petra smiles as she grabs her hands, the touch pleasantly surprising Dorothea. 

Petra was never this expressive! 

“How did you know I had arrived?” Dorothea manages to say after a short pause, one that hopefully wasn’t too obvious to her friend. 

“I was doing my rounds when I ran into the professor, who seemed to be in a rush.” she chuckles. “Assuming that the two of you had to already be back from your trip, I also rushed all the way to your room to wait for you.” she finishes with a soft blush. 

One that Dorothea can clearly notice. 

“I was going to come find you after I was done taking a shower.” she tells her. “I… A lot happened during the trip and I wanted to see you.” 

Petra nods in understanding and grabs her hands. 

“I am more than happy to listen to you, Thea.” she promises her and then chuckles. “But before I do that, can I share something with you?” 

“Always.” she says immediately and this response gets her another blush from the Brigid woman. 

“Remember when you told me that this trip would finally let me know how it is you feel when I’m the one traveling on a mission?” Petra asks her softly. 

Dorothea nods. 

“I felt it. The nerves. The fear. The longing.” Petra admits to her. “And I know it is selfish of me, but I do not want to feel those things again.” she hugs her again. “Next time I am going with you no matter what Edelgard says.” 

“You know Edie can be stubborn.” she chuckles at the younger woman’s behavior. 

Petra was never bossy or selfish. 

So to see her act this way and because of her… 

“I do not care. I am not staying here where I cannot see you.” 

This statement makes Dorothea look at Petra, who was doing her best to stay calm. 

Like Hubert and Lysithea had said, she must have been really affected by her absence.

“I didn’t expect my absence to affect you this way.” she says honestly. 

“Of course it will!” Petra is honest and gets close again. “You mean a lot to me, Thea.” she whispers. “And I do not know what I would do if I heard the news of you getting injured or…” she closes her eyes. “I cannot think of it.” 

“It’s the same for me when you’re gone.” Dorothea smiles sadly at her. “I always fear I’ll get bad news and that you’ll be hurt or worse.” she admits. “But we both swore to Edelgard that we would help her. And I have no plans of breaking that promise, Petra.” 

“Neither do I.” she states. “Which is why I decided to ask Edelgard to let me accompany you on any future missions you have.” 

“And what about me?” Dorothea fake-pouts. “When you leave for your missions, I also want to go with you.” 

Petra smiles at this. 

“I would never refuse your company, Thea. So we will talk to Edelgard?” she asks her vulnerably and this makes the brunette mage close the distance between them yet again. 

“We will.” Dorothea kisses her forehead, which makes both women blush. “It will be both or neither of us.” 

Petra nods in agreement, both women feeling that they had somehow reached a new understanding into what their relationship is and what it meant for the two of them. 

And for now, with the way the war was going, it was enough for them to know that they cared. 


	20. Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that she has had dinner and taken a shower, Byleth is ready to talk to Edelgard. Yet just as she's about to knock on her door, she starts doubting herself. Meanwhile, we take a look at how things are unfolding in Fhirdiad, the capital of the Kingdom of Faerghus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry it took me longer than usual to update. I've thankfully been busier with work, meaning that I've had less time to write. But, I believe I will be able to update regularly from now on :) 
> 
> I also want to thank you all for your incredible support. 351 kudos! That's amazing and beyond what I was hoping for this fic. Thank you all so much :)

_Fhirdiad, Kingdom of Faerghus_

Staring at the dark skies above her, Mercedes can’t help but wonder if she’s going to be able to continue acting as if nothing is wrong. Although her faith in the Goddess had initially made her choose to follow Dimitri and offer her support to Archbishop Rhea, it didn’t take long for her to see how those two started losing themselves in their inner madness: Rhea with dreams of revenge and punishment against Edelgard and Dimitri similarly seeking Edelgard to kill her. But unlike Rhea, who still carefully considered her options before using her army; the King of Faerghus was the opposite. His wish for bloodlust was so strong that all those warnings Felix had given them when they were younger were now making sense. 

_The Boar._

A monster on the battlefield, desperately seeking Empire enemies that would bring him closer to his true target: Edelgard. 

It had been clear from the moment Edelgard revealed herself as the Flame Emperor to all of them that Dimitri took it hard. Though Mercedes was not really sure why that was the case since neither Dimitri nor Edelgard spoke too much during their year Garreg Mach. In fact, it had almost been as if Dimitri felt betrayed by the noble woman. 

The Blue Lions never understood what it was about Edelgard that made their friend react that way. How just that one moment made him become the monster he now was. It had saddened them, even to the point of each of them speaking to Dimitri to try to help him. Yet their friend didn’t want anything to do with that. 

He just wanted to make Edelgard pay for ruining his life. 

_Flashback to A Couple of Months Ago_

“Did he storm out of the room again?” Felix mutters as he watches Mercedes return to them with a sad look on her face. 

Mercedes nods. 

“No matter how much I try to reason with him about the exhaustion and hunger our soldiers are going through… He does not care at all.” 

“The soldiers will rebel at some point.” Sylvain mutters as he takes a seat. “Not only are we fighting battles in which most of the time we lose… But to not get fed or given the basic necessities to live...” he closes his eyes. “I can’t understand what is driving Dimitri to treat us like this.” 

“Edelgard.” Felix says annoyed. “The whole reason we got involved in this fucked up war, it’s because of her.” 

The Blue Lions stare at each other knowingly. 

“Has anyone been able to figure out why that’s the case?” Annette asks. “Why Dimitri is so angry at her?” 

“He thinks that Edelgard was somehow involved in the Tragedy of Duscur.” the swordsman says simply. “Though that never really made sense because Dimitri was a boy when that happened. Meaning that Edelgard herself must have been 13 or 14 years old.” 

“For her to be able to organize such a thing at that age is simply impossible.” Mercedes adds carefully. “Besides, didn’t she say she had nothing to do in the tragedy?” 

They had all nodded. 

“No, I don’t think it’s as simple as that.” Ingrid says firmly, for the first time speaking since they all agreed to meet. “I think that someone is using our King’s sickness to take advantage and make him believe what they want him to believe.” 

“You think they’re purposely blaming Edelgard so that Dimitri attacks the Empire?” Ashe asks worriedly. 

Ingrid nods. 

“Nothing else makes sense.” the knight says softly. “The Church has its motives for fighting the Empire, with Edelgard declaring war against them. But our King didn’t have to offer aid to the Archbishop. He could have remained neutral just like the Alliance did. Instead, it seemed like he waited for the Church to ask him to join them.”

Mercedes can’t deny this because it was true. The moment they all made it out of the Holy Mausoleum, Dimitri and Dedue had gone with the Archbishop to discuss their alliance and plans to bring the Empire down. Even though he still wasn’t the King of Faerghus, when Edelgard revealed her true plans, he immediately returned home to take the crown. 

Almost as if he had wanted it for the sole purpose of killing the new Adrestian Emperor. 

“I believe that to help Dimitri the best, we need to figure out what truly happened at Duscur all those years ago.” Ashe murmurs. “Not only will it bring closure to many of us.” he stares at all of them. “But it could also help us bring back the Dimitri we used to know.” 

“This is the Dimitri I always knew.” Felix murmurs low enough so only Mercedes can hear. 

The rest of the Blue Lions nod, wanting to find a way to make Dimitri realize what he was doing. 

How he was slowly destroying himself and all of Faerghus with him. 

_End of Flashback_

Following that conversation, things had gotten hectic at the royal capital. Without any type of warning, Dimitri had started sending the Blue Lions on separate missions across Fodlan to either fight against Empire forces or aid the Knights of Seiros in their own battles against the Empire. Mercedes had specifically been sent as an envoy to Garreg Mach, where she spent most of her time in meetings with Archbishop Rhea and Catherine. And, it didn’t take long for her to see how bitter and angry the holy woman was. Unlike the many teachings she had learned in church, the Archbishop didn’t want to forgive. Instead, she wanted to eradicate. To make a lesson of the Empire so no one else would dare rebel against the Goddess. 

But was it really the Goddess the one Edelgard was rebelling against or was it the Church? 

The archbishop saw those two as the same thing. 

Thankfully, she had been called back to Fhirdiad on an urgent matter by Lord Rodrigue. And, while the request wasn’t very common, perhaps it had to do with Dimitri and his health? Had it further deteriorated since the last time she saw him?

Stepping into the castle, the healer is surprised to see that all the Blue Lions were back as well, their gazes switching between confusion and relief at seeing that they were doing well considering the circumstances. Noticing Annette standing in the back of the room, Mercedes walks towards her, wanting to have some words with her best friend. 

“Annie.” Mercedes says as she closes the distance between them and hugs her tight. “Thank the Goddess you’re alright.” 

“Mercie!” Annette says as she relaxes in the older woman’s embrace. “I’m so happy to see you.” she steps away and gives her a sad smile. “Though it also worries me that we were all summoned back to Fhirdiad.” 

Mercedes nods, knowing that whatever happened had to be very important. 

“I’m assuming that means you’re also unaware of the reason we’re all here?” 

Annette nods. 

“All I know is that we were all summoned by Lord Rodrigue on behest of Dimitri.” she tells her softly. “Felix suspects that it has to do with something big regarding the war.” 

_It had to be something really big if they needed all of them here…_ Mercedes thinks somberly. 

Yet before she can ask Annette more questions, they hear the doors to the war room opening. Standing right in front of them was Dedue, who merely nodded once before asking them all to step inside. 

Carefully making her way into the room, Mercedes can see that all the members of the war council were already sitting, with Lord Rodrigue, Count Rowe, Cornelia and other Fhirdiad generals right in the middle of a discussion. 

“What you’re suggesting is madness.” Lord Rodrigue says to Cornelia. “While those creatures are powerful, we don’t know if we have full control over them. To recklessly use them against our enemies in our own territory could bring consequences to our own soldiers and people as well.” 

“A necessary risk.” Cornelia huffs. “This is war, Rodrigue. People die.” 

_What._

“This is not right!” the knight gets more agitated as he approaches Dimitri, who is merely staring ahead. “Surely his majesty isn’t considering this proposal?” 

“What proposal?” Felix is the only one bold enough to ask his father. 

“You’ve arrived.” he says relieved as he stares at the rest of the war council. “I asked the Blue Lions to join us in this meeting since they’ve been the ones fighting the Empire across different territories.” 

“A pointless endeavor.” Count Rowe adds from his seat. “We already know how our troops are doing in the battlefield: They’re hungry and upset.” 

None denies this because it’s the truth. 

“So Cornelia’s plan is not a bad one, considering the dire situation we are in.” he huffs. “It’s either that or risk the people revolting against us.” 

“Revolting?” Sylvain asks, shocked. “Has it already come to that point?” 

Count Rowe nods. 

“Gwendal had to disperse a small group of protesters near the castle.” he tells them. “And it’s just starting.” 

“Still, there has to be a better and safer way!” Lord Rodrigue argues. “Our victory cannot be built on our people’s pain and death.” 

“ENOUGH.” they all hear Dimitri say from his throne and this makes the room quiet down. “Enough hesitation and enough doubt. Cornelia here has given us the tools we need to finally bring an end to Edelgard and the Empire.” 

The moment he says that, Mercedes freezes, not having expected such a bold declaration from Dimitri. 

Was that true? 

Turning around to look at her friends, she sees the same shock and surprise in all of their faces. 

“But the people… We share borders with the Empire and it’s impossible to make sure the dolls make it through without destroying the lands and houses of our people. They’ll lose it all.” Lord Rodrigue tries to argue again.

“We can rebuild.” Cornelia murmurs. “But what we can’t do is wait for longer. This is our opportunity to finish this war once and for all.” 

“But the people.” Ingrid tries to argue. “Lord Rodrigue is right! There must be another way.” she stares at Dimitri. “Please, King Dimitri, there has to be a better path than this one.” 

When Dimitri raises his head to look at her, all the Blue Lions already know what he will answer. 

“This is the only way.” Dimitri says darkly. “The way to finally bring down the Empire and make them pay for their involvement in the Tragedy of Duscur.” he vows. “Edelgard will pay.” he finishes bitterly as he stands up. “I want you all to prepare for our last battle. We will invade Enbarr and take the Emperor’s head!” he yells and the war council starts cheering. 

“But…” Annette tries to say but is stopped by Sylvain who shakes his head from side to side. 

“And to my friends.” he stares at the Blue Lions. “All the years of death and pain will come to an end.” he tells them confidently. “This is the battle to end the war!” 

More cheering is heard from around the room. 

“Go back and prepare your troops! We will be heading to Enbarr right away.” Dimitri finishes and leaves the room, followed by Dedue. 

The moment he leaves, all the Blue Lions stare at each other, not knowing what to do. This had been so sudden and unexpected. Noticing Sylvain and Felix step away from the room, Mercedes plans to follow them, only stopping for a moment when she notices Ingrid looking at Cornelia, who is now talking with Count Rowe. 

_Just what is going on?_ Mercedes thinks worriedly as she watches the knight nod and then step away from the room, her stance one of acceptance and determination. 

Wanting to follow and ask her if she was alright, Mercedes is stopped by Annette, who had grabbed her hand and was now pulling her away from the war room. Falling into a run, the two women don’t stop until they reach the castle’s gardens, the same ones the two used to have tea in before the war truly started to take off. 

“Annie?” Mercedes asks her worriedly when the younger woman doesn’t say a word to her. “Are you okay?” 

“He’s not coming back, is he?” she whispers. “Dimitri. He’s gone.” she adds sadly and the blonde woman doesn’t know how to respond to that. 

“I…” 

“You can’t keep defending him Mercie! He is willing to put our people at risk! All for some revenge that we don’t understand!” she yells. 

“Annie…” Mercedes whispers, shocked by her friend’s outburst. 

“I’ve had to kill so many people.” she cries. “So many deaths… I told myself that it was to defend my home and my people. But now Dimitri is ordering us to march through, without a care, for the same people I swore to protect!” she finishes brokenly and the sight makes Mercedes close the distance between them and hug her tight. 

“I can’t do this anymore Mercie.” Annette cries bitterly. “Not when it’s so clear that the reason Dimitri is making us fight this war is for his own personal revenge.” 

Mercedes nods, agreeing with her friend. 

“Have you discovered anything regarding what happened at Duscur?” she asks her, knowing her friend was going to take advantage of staying at the capital and look into the royal library for information. 

Annette shakes her head. 

“Nothing that we didn’t already know. Though there are some books that are missing from the library.” she tells her. “Books that I suspect someone didn’t want us to find.” 

“So someone is hiding something from us.” they hear familiar voices and the two turn around to find the rest of the Blue Lions standing there. 

“It’s not very clever of you to be discussing such topics out in the open.” Felix scolds them. “Anyone could have heard you.” 

“But they didn’t.” Mercedes smiles. “Besides, it’s only us the Blue Lions that know the exact location of this gazebo. No one else does.” 

Sylvain chuckles. 

“When we didn’t see you two after the meeting, we suspected you came here to talk.” 

“And from what we were able to make out, it seems like there is more to the Tragedy of Duscur than it just being that, a tragedy.” Ingrid murmurs. “Someone is willingly hiding information about it.” she stares at Felix. “Is there really nothing you can remember about that week that was peculiar to you?” 

Felix groans. 

“If I did I would have told you already.” he closes his eyes. “All I can think of is the delegation preparing and leaving for Duscur.” 

“The delegation included King Lambert, Prince Dimitri, Glenn and several other nobles and aristocrats from the Kingdom.” Annette tells them. “My father was a knight among them but couldn’t make it to that trip. Has felt guilty about it ever since.” she adds somberly. 

“While the people of Duscur were mainly blamed for the massacre, there were also other Kingdom nobles that were added as co conspirators.” Ingrid says somberly.

“Yet Dimitri always said that the people of Duscur were innocent and that it was someone else. That they couldn’t have been capable of organizing such an attack without foreign interference.” Ashe adds. 

“And here is where the theory of the Empire and Edelgard being involved started.” Felix says. “It does make sense that the Empire would wish to see the Kingdom destabilized, yet at that time they had their own internal problems with the Insurrection of the Seven and the Emperor losing almost all political power.” 

The Blue Lions nod in agreement. 

“So why does Dimitri insist Edelgard and the Empire are involved after knowing this?” Mercedes asks loudly. 

“We’ve inferred that it’s personal.” Sylvain says. “So either the two of them met each other before their year at Garreg Mach or they both knew someone in common.” 

“But how could that be even possible?” Annette asks. “There would have been no place for them to meet since the two grew up in different territories.” 

This makes the Blue Lion think, knowing Annette was right. 

“This is taking us nowhere.” Ingrid says bitterly. “We were all too little to remember the precise details of that year. Not only that, but asking Dimitri about this will do no good.” 

They all nod in agreement. 

“My father.” Felix whispers. “He could tell us.” 

“Your father was very close to King Lambert.” Sylvain agrees. “Perhaps he may be able to bring some light into what happened that year at Fhirdiad.” 

“But can we really risk asking him?” Ashe adds. “Your father’s loyalty will be to Dimitri, so what if us asking him about it makes him suspect us?” 

“Suspect us of what? Of trying to prevent The Boar from killing us all and bringing Faerghus to the ground with him?” he complains. 

“Of being traitors or spies.” Mercedes says softly. “Because what we are doing right now…” she smiles sadly. “Is going against our King’s orders.” 

The moment she says out loud what they were all doing, that was the moment they all realized the older woman was right. 

This, them going against their King’s orders and trying to find a way to put a stop to him, could be considered treason. 

Treason against the King. 

* * *

_Enbarr, Capital of the Adrestian Empire_

Now that she had taken a shower and had gotten something to eat, Byleth would have expected to feel ready for her talk with the Emperor. 

Instead, it was the opposite. 

Her stomach was churning and the shower she took was pointless because of how much she felt she was sweating under her clothes. 

_“You’re just nervous.”_ Sothis says soothingly to her as she stares at herself in the mirror. _“And there’s nothing wrong about you feeling this way. Just, just take deep breaths to calm yourself down.”_

Nodding, Byleth does as suggested, focusing on her inhale and exhale. Thankfully, doing this was indeed calming her down. 

Why was she feeling so nervous about this talk? 

_“Perhaps because during your trip you’ve come to realize that your feelings for Edelgard go deeper than a normal friendship?”_ Sothis suggests as she appears in front of her. “You did admit you felt jealous about Ingrid and Edelgard knowing each other for longer.” 

“I did.” Byleth whispers as she sits down on her bed. “And it did worry me when we found out that King Dimitri’s plans to come to Enbarr could actually happen.” she closes her eyes. “I just don’t understand why it is that I felt jealous of Ingrid.”

Knowing that the best way for Byleth to understand her feelings was by actually talking about them, Sothis chooses to do so and not tell her what she thought she felt. 

“Why do you think you got jealous? Was it because you want something similar?” 

Byleth shakes her head. 

“I think it was because of the mere fact that she knows Edelgard better than I do.” Byleth tells her calmly. “She has known her for longer so it makes sense that she knows her more than I do.” 

“That is not always the case.” Sothis says to her. “Besides, you’re assuming things again, Byleth.” she smiles at her. “And didn’t you say that you disliked making assumptions?” 

“I usually do because that’s what people always do when it comes to me.” she chuckles. “Quite funny to find myself now doing the same thing.” 

“What about asking her?” Sothis suggests. “Edelgard has told you before that you can open up to her and tell her your worries. I’m sure she would understand where you’re coming from.” 

“I don’t want to add more things for her to worry about.” Byleth whispers. “She already has to think about the war, about keeping her friends alive… It would be selfish to also ask her to worry about me.” 

“I don’t think it’s selfish to ask your friend to listen to you.” Sothis reminds her gently of what Edelgard said the two of them were. “Besides, wouldn’t it be selfish of you to not tell her what you feel and then start behaving differently around her, perhaps making her worry even more?” 

This makes the mercenary stare at the girl in front of her, knowing that she was right. How many times had Byleth wanted her employers to be honest with her and not hide things from her? How many times had she found herself thinking that Edelgard was keeping things from her and wishing that wasn’t the case? 

“I need to stop being a hypocrite and start acting the way I want Edelgard to act.” Byleth says determined. “If I want her to confide in me, then I also need to confide in her.” 

“Exactly!” Sothis smiles proudly. 

“I’ll go ahead and tell her how I felt when I met Ingrid.” the mercenary stands up and goes to the adjacent door that connects her room to Edelgard’s. 

“Yes!” 

“I…” she stops herself before opening the door. “I don’t think I can do it.” she whispers and is ready to let go before the door is suddenly opened from the other side. 

Surprised, she looks up and sees Edelgard standing in front of her with an apologetic smile on her face. 

“I heard you talking and when you didn’t open the door I came to make sure everything was alright.” Edelgard tells her softly. 

_She heard me talking._

_She heard me talking?!_

“What did you hear?” Byleth asks, mortified. 

“Just some mumbling and then that you didn’t think you could do it.” the Emperor smiles. “If that meant that you couldn’t come keep watch, then you don’t have to. I know how exhausted you must be feeling after your trip.” 

“That wasn’t what I meant!” Byleth finds herself saying as she unconsciously grabs Edelgard’s hands. “I…” she looks away for a moment. “I meant that I didn’t think I could go ahead and tell you what I felt when I was away.” 

Not wanting to see the Emperor’s disappointed gaze, Byleth does her best to keep her eyes away from the noblewoman, nervously waiting for the reprimand that she was surely going to get. 

“Well, I would never force you to share your feelings with me if you don’t want to.” Edelgard says calmly. “But I also would be happy to listen to my friend.” 

The moment Edelgard confirms to Byleth what Sothis had told her, the fear she had felt about sharing her feelings is gone, it instead being replaced with gratitude and something else she still didn’t fully understand.

Nodding, and feeling herself being pulled by the Emperor into her room, Byleth can’t help but smile at the silliness of the moment. She had panicked about opening the door to the Emperor’s bedroom moments before and now it was Edelgard herself the one bringing her in. 

Chuckling, she notices Edelgard staring curiously at her. 

“I just found it a little amusing that there I was agonizing about entering your room when it literally took Her Majesty seconds to convince me to do so.” 

Edelgard blushes a little at that statement. 

“I hope that wasn’t me being imposing. I really don’t want to force you to do anything you don’t wish to do, Byleth.” 

“I know.” Byleth smiles as she let’s go of the Emperor’s hands. “And Your Majesty saying that means so much to me. It’s the reason why I was able to come in.” 

Nodding, the Emperor sits down in her bed, already used to Byleth seeing her that way. In fact, if she were to sit down in one of the chairs, it would take away from the comfort the two of them had built with each other. 

“I…” Byleth starts saying but then looks up embarrassed. “I’m really bad at opening up to others so I’m not sure of what to say right now.” 

“How about you tell me more about your trip? I’m assuming that you wanting to talk has to do with something that happened then?” 

Byleth nods. 

“I… It has to do with Ingrid.” she admits and notices the way the Emperor looks surprised for a moment. 

“Did Ingrid do or say something that upset you? She’s usually very kind and welcoming, but if she did say something I will talk to…” 

“She was all of that and more.” Byleth smiles warmly. “A true knight and very loyal friend of Her Majesty’s.” 

Edelgard smiles at this. 

“I’m very fortunate to have a friend like Ingrid.” she agrees. “I still don’t know what she saw in me, but I won’t question it.” 

“Probably what all of us have seen in you, Your Majesty.” Byleth tells her honestly and this statement makes Edelgard blush. 

“Byleth…” 

“You have so many people around you that care for you. That have known you for longer than I have.” the mercenary adds. “Yet I really didn’t think about it until I met Ingrid and saw in her the role that I currently have: Your protector, your loyal friend and supporter that is willing to do anything for you.” she closes her eyes. “The difference was that she has known you for longer than I do. Knows more things about you than I do.” 

Byleth takes a calming breath, hoping it would help her organize her ideas. 

“I found myself feeling jealous of her and of the relationship she has with you.” she admits bluntly. “And I started thinking that if she didn’t need to be your spy in Faerghus, then she would probably be the one doing _my_ job. She would be the one protecting you.” 

_“Good job Byleth.”_ she hears Sothis in her mind, and while it does make her feel better, she still hasn't gotten a response from Edelgard, who was calmly staring at her. 

“I’m sorry if what I said upset you.” Byleth starts to apologize. “And even though I felt jealous, I still see Ingrid as a valuable ally and knight! I enjoyed talking with her.” she starts rambling. 

“Byleth.” the Emperor gives her a sad smile. “There is nothing to apologize for. I don't know if this is the right thing to say, but it makes me happy to see that you care that much about me." 

Byleth blushes at this statement. 

"I care about you too." Edelgard tells her honestly. "More than what I would expect to, to be honest with you." 

_"She really is blunt."_ Sothis says amused. _"But at the same time, it's a little charming?"_

Byleth nods in agreement. 

"And because I care and truly value you, Byleth, I find myself wanting to share with you one of my secrets. One that I should have told you earlier but was afraid to do so."

Byleth nods. 

“Remember when I told you that all my family died at the same time, impaired by disease or madness?” Edelgard asks for the bluenette’s surprise. “How I keep having nightmares in which I see them perish every single night?” 

Byleth nods. 

“My siblings, they didn’t just die.” the Emperor whispers. “They were murdered to create an Emperor that would be capable of destroying the fake Goddess.” she chuckles bitterly as she makes her crest appear. "Because I come from the Hresvelg line, I had a minor crest of Seiros. Yet to the people who were working in the shadows, the power their Emperor needed to have wasn't enough." she makes a different crest appear. 

“You have two crests. That is…” 

_"Impossible."_ Sothis whispers. 

“Impossible, I know. Yet here I am, the result of the many experimentations and torture done on my siblings, myself and so many other innocents that lost their lives in the process. And all because of this notion that crests are the ones that give you true power."

"Who was responsible?" Byleth asks somberly, the anger at realizing how Edelgard had been abused and used making something within her burn.

"The Prime Minister and others within the Empire. My father, the Emperor, was stripped of his powers and couldn't do a thing as we were taken away." she closes her eyes. "And while I logically understand this, I can't help but feel bitter and angry at him too." she smiles sadly. 

_"I'm feeling very upset right now Byleth."_ Sothis adds bitterly as the mercenary finds herself agreeing with the sentiment. 

"How did that happen? How did he lose his power?" she asks Edelgard. 

"A coup, organized by a group of Adrestian ministers who were supported by a dark organization that has lingered in the shadows for too long. One that I’ve vowed to destroy the moment my war with the Church is over.” she tells her passionately. “We call them Those Who Slither in the Dark but they’re also known as the Agarthans.” she admits. 

“The Agarthans…” Byleth whispers. 

“They were the humans that betrayed the Nabateans and rebelled against them all those centuries ago.” Edelgard reminds her of the tale they told Claude a month ago. “After being persecuted by Seiros and her disciples, they hid in the shadows, biding their time until they were able to get revenge. Then, they somehow made their way into positions of power across the three main territories of Fodlan, acting behind the scenes and probably causing many of the events that have shaped Fodlan politics over the last thirty years, including the Insurrection of the Seven that stripped my father of his powers.” 

Taking a moment to think things through, Byleth can’t stop herself from feeling angry and bitter. Not after discovering how the life of the woman she was growing to care about had been manipulated and controlled by the people that were supposed to protect her. 

At the same time though, she was also wondering… 

"Why are you telling me all of this, Your Majesty?" the mercenary asks her calmly. "Why now?" 

“Because the Agarthans are involved in our war and our plans. I’ve agonized about the best way to tell you about them because I don’t want to keep unnecessary secrets from you.” she closes her eyes. “And like I said before, I’ve also been afraid that at one point you would get tired of all the secrecy that comes from being involved with me.” 

This statement surprises Byleth, who could now understand a little better why Edelgard was nervous about telling her this. 

“Since you’ve seen me at my lowest, I feel I can trust you and be open and vulnerable with you.” the Emperor admits sadly. “No one from the Black Eagles has seen me like you do. And honestly, I’m terrified they would.” she continues saying. “Not because I don’t trust them but because I’m their pillar and I can’t crumble in front of them. I can’t be weak in front of them. Including Ingrid.” she whispers and watches the way Byleth reacts at that confession. 

She was surprised, but not in a bad way. And, she was still here listening to her. 

“And you’re saying that I’m different?” Byleth asks her softly. 

Rather than answer her, Edelgard nods as she gets closer, sitting at the corner of the bed so that the two could see each other. And, after staring at Byleth and deciding that she really wanted to do this, the Emperor goes ahead and takes one of her gloves off, extending her hand so that Byleth could see the many scars on it. 

And Byleth, surprisingly, doesn’t react with pity or disgust. 

Instead, she stares questioningly at her, as if waiting for some sort of queue that would guide her about what to do. 

“These are the many scars that I have from the experiments.” Edelgard admits to her. “They go through almost all of my body, which is why I don’t let anyone see my skin.” 

_I don’t let anyone see my skin._

“But you’re letting me?” Byleth whispers as she keeps staring at the noblewoman’s hand. 

Edelgard nods, for the first time since their talk started completely speechless. 

“Can I?” Byleth motions to grab her hand and Edelgard nods, watching the woman turn her arm around so she could get a better look at them. 

Focusing on the mercenary’s eyes, she sees the way they stay calm as they go through her arm. And, rather than feel worried or nervous about it, she felt relieved that even after showing her this, Byleth was still Byleth. 

“Thank you, Edelgard.” the mercenary let’s go of her arm and helps her put her glove back on. “For trusting me. For opening up to me after I did the same.” she smiles at her warmly and this is the first time Edelgard has seen Byleth smile that way. 

“I… You’re welcome Byleth.” she says shocked. 

_Wait, did this mean that Byleth was still going to stay?_

“I promise you that I will not rest until we bring the people who hurt your family and you to justice, Edelgard.” the mercenary vows to her, almost as if she had read her mind. "No matter how long that takes." 

_"We give you our word."_ Sothis adds as well, also wanting to help the young woman in front of her. 

Feeling herself on the verge of tears after receiving such a gentle and kind response from Byleth, Edelgard finds herself asking for something she hadn’t asked for in years. 

True, she had received plenty of them over the years, but never had she been the one actively asking for one. 

A hug. 

“Can I…” she chokes out. “Can I hug you?” she whispers and watches Byleth nod before closing the distance between them, hiding her face in the woman’s shoulder and crying for the second time in who knows how long.

It was the most at peace she had felt since she made it out of those dungeons all those years ago. 


	21. Next Steps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emperor Edelgard has summoned the Black Eagles to an important meeting. No one knows what she will tell them during it, but Byleth can't help but wonder if it has something to do with what Dorothea and her reported from their trip to Arianrhod.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! New chapter uploaded! This one is heavily focused on politics and lore so I still hope you enjoy it :)

_Somewhere in The Easternmost Mountains of Hrym_

Making his way through the familiar hallways of the hideout, Baron Ochs couldn’t deny that he felt, for the first time since he learned the truth about her daughter and the monsters; completely terrified. Before, he had accepted that he would either die when discovered by the Empire or die when he was deemed useless by the monsters. 

By Those Who Slither in the Dark as the Emperor and Duke von Vestra had called them. 

_Flashback_

“So will you, Baron Ochs, work for me to avenge your daughter and bring an end to the monsters responsible for all your suffering and pain?” the Emperor asks him confidently as she stands above him. 

“I will.” he says, moved by her words and her stance. “I just…” he looks away. “I don’t know how useful I’ll be to you since it’s impossible to lie to him.” he stares at her. “No matter how much the others tried, they were never able to get away with the lie. Somehow he knows.”

“Directly lying won’t work with them.” Hubert says with a smirk on his face. “They can tell when someone is hiding the truth from them. So rather than hide, the best thing to do is choose and select what things to tell.”

“When you tell them specific truths and do not lie when questioned, that’s the way you will not get discovered.” Edelgard adds confidently. “It’s the way we’ve been able to deal with them over the last three years.” 

_Wait, has the Emperor been aware of their existence for that long?_

_And if so, why hasn’t she done anything to denounce them or get the word out there?_

Baron Ochs then remembers all the tools, people and monsters they had at their disposal. The things he had seen them do… 

Not only would many not believe the Emperor, but up until Emperor Edelgard took the throne, the Adrestian Ministers were the ones that truly controlled the Empire. And up until the war started, Edelgard had been focused on getting rid of those corrupt ministers and traitors. And now that Baron Ochs thought about it, it made sense for the Emperor to be so adamant about gaining back control from the Adrestian Ministers: She needed all the power of the Empire to not only face the Church but also those monsters. 

And from what he was starting to see, it seemed like the Emperor was prepared to get things moving or at least prevent them from gaining more power. 

“So you want me to tell Thales what I’ve seen during my time here.” he murmurs. “Which has been nothing because you captured me and kept me locked in a cell.” 

“Indeed.” Hubert smirks. “Meaning that what we tell you will be the truth you know. Wouldn’t it?” he asks sarcastically and that’s when Baron Ochs understands how the Emperor and Minister von Vestra were planning to keep him alive. 

By not letting him see anything of importance and instead choosing what to show or tell him; they were ensuring he wouldn’t lie to Thales about what was happening at the castle. 

It was a clever move. 

And yet there was one thing the monster had been interested in that he needed to discuss with the Emperor. 

“Like you said earlier, I have nothing to lose.” Baron Ochs says softly. “But I have no idea what to say if he asks me about the Professor. He is very interested in her.” he admits to them.

“As expected: To him, the Professor is an unknown variable, and based on her reputation and the report you already gave Thales about her, it doesn’t surprise me to find he's more interested in her.” Edelgard murmurs. 

“I know he will ask me about her.” 

“When he asks, you will tell him the truth: That she wasn’t anywhere at the castle and you were not able to find where she went.” she tells him confidently. “And that she returned one day as if nothing had happened.” 

“But he already said I failed him when you left the castle, Your Majesty.” Baron Ochs argues. “If I return with another report like that, I’m afraid he may consider me useless.” 

“Indeed. Which is why we plan to give you enough information to make him see you as a useful spy, Baron Ochs.” Hubert smiles. “Consider yourself fortunate.” 

“Believe me, Baron Ochs. No one wants you to stay alive more than I do and I will do my best to make sure that’s the case.” Edelgard promises him. 

_End of Flashback_

Taking a deep breath, the man nods determinedly before making his way into the main room, noticing right away that it was only Thales and Solon inside. 

“You’ve finally arrived.” Thales says as he watches the spy kneel in front of him. “For a moment I was wondering if you had chosen to betray us, Baron Ochs.” 

“I came as soon as I could.” he promises them. “Things at the castle have been hectic since the Emperor started preparing her troops.” he stares at Thales. “Some generals are saying that the Emperor has found a way to infiltrate Arianrhod and plans to attack the fortress very soon.” 

“Really?” Thales smirks at this. “That does sound promising.” he chuckles and then becomes serious. “What about the professor?” 

“She was training the Black Eagle Strike Force regularly until she suddenly vanished one day. It took me days to find this out, but some soldiers were saying she asked the Emperor permission to go on a mission outside of the capital.” 

“I hope you know what this mission outside the capital was about?” Thales questions him. 

“I wasn’t able to fully learn what the actual mission was.” he admits. “But I did learn that it involved the Church and some connection the Ashen Demon has to them.” 

The moment he says that, he can see how this answer surprises Thales, who clearly wasn’t expecting something like that. 

“That is very interesting.” Thales murmurs as he thinks of what the spy had just told him. “Is the Emperor aware of this connection?” 

“I’m afraid that’s something I can’t confidently surmise.” Baron Ochs admits. “But from what I’ve been able to see as well as hear from the soldiers and staff around the castle, the Emperor does seem to trust the mercenary to an extent.” 

“Mmmm.” Thales says as he stares at the spy. “Make it your priority to discover what this connection between the Ashen Demon and the Church is.” he orders him and that’s the queue Baron Ochs needs to stand up and leave the throne room. 

Once the spy is gone, the two Agarthans stare at each other. 

“We already suspected that the arrival of this mercenary was no coincidence at all. What this report does is confirm our suspicions and how close the Emperor and the mercenary seem to be.” Solon tells him firmly. “It wouldn’t surprise me that this is a trick of the Church to infiltrate the Empire and take our Emperor out.” 

“Perhaps. We know that monster is capable of anything.” Thales muses. “But for some reason I don’t get the feeling that she’s involved. From what our spy at Garreg Mach has said, it seems like the Immaculate One is truly losing her mind over the war and her thirst for revenge.” 

“Our research has shown us that the longer the monsters live, the closer to insanity they get.” Solon agrees with him. “But even then, wouldn’t it be better for us to get rid of this woman? It’s clearly a risk to keep her around the Emperor.” 

“And get rid of a possible weapon for us to bring the Church down?” Thales chuckles. “Not yet, Solon. The less we make use of our own tools, the better prepared we will be for our future battle with the broken Empire. Besides, the upcoming battle at Arianrhod will be a test and opportunity for us to see how useful the Ashen Demon actually is.” 

“You mean…” 

“Yes, I mean that I will personally keep an eye on the upcoming battle of Arianrhod and how our pawns act during this battle.” he chuckles. “Cornelia included.” 

* * *

_Enbarr, Capital of the Adrestian Empire_

After the conversation she had with Edelgard the night before, Byleth was feeling many things. She felt happy because Edelgard had opened up to her and allowed her to truly see her. She felt mad, for Edelgard had also revealed to her the painful circumstances that led her to become the Emperor and the betrayal she experienced from the people who were supposed to protect the Hresvelg family. 

_“I was mad too.”_ she hears Sothis’ voice and turns around to see the green-haired girl floating next to her. _“All that pain and suffering just for the sake of power.”_ she closes her eyes mournfully. “ _And the lengths those monsters went through to achieve it… Children, Byleth.”_

Byleth nods, also feeling disturbed and bitter at the implications of what Edelgard had told her the night before. 

“I don’t know how to feel.” Byleth admits. 

_“Neither do I.”_ Sothis chuckles. “ _But I don’t think there’s anything wrong with feeling happy about the fact that Edelgard opened up to you. That she allowed us to see that much. It shows that she cares about you.”_

This statement makes Byleth smile, happy to hear Sothis confirm what she feels. 

At the same time, Byleth wasn’t naive enough to think that this meant the Emperor would suddenly start telling her every single thing. On the contrary, she knew there would be more instances where Edelgard would go ahead and reveal to her another secret. Secrets that she had to keep hidden because of her position as Emperor. 

_“Edelgard likes to keep her cards close to her chest.”_ Sothis reminds her of what Dorothea had said about her friend days ago. 

“Just like I do.” Byleth says softly, thinking about the upcoming moment in which she would have to reveal information about her past to the Black Eagles. 

Ever since she swore her loyalty to Edelgard, Byleth had known that at some point she was going to need to reveal her connection to Rhea and the Nabateans. It wasn’t a conversation she was looking forward to, but her need to keep her past hidden and her desire to protect Edelgard from all harm were going to intersect soon. 

_“And which one of those is becoming more important to you, Byleth? To keep your past hidden or protect Edelgard?”_ Sothis asks her knowingly. 

“You know which one.” she mutters as she nods to some soldiers from far away. “That doesn’t mean I like the idea of telling everyone about my past and my time at Garreg Mach.” 

_“And I don’t blame you for that.”_ Sothis says. _“To think that woman would do something so evil to an innocent child: Lie and keep her hidden and separated from the world…”_ she closes her eyes. _“I’m sorry Byleth, I didn’t mean to make you remember all that.”_

“Even if I wanted to, I wouldn’t be able to forget.” Byleth admits. “And with everything that I’ve heard about the Nabateans and her, I can’t say I’m not curious about what I have to do with all that. Why me?” she whispers bitterly. “What did Rhea see in me that made her want to separate me from my family and try to make me her pawn?” 

Sothis remains silent next to her, already knowing that Byleth had a partial answer to that question as well. 

The only way to learn the truth was for her to make her way to Garreg Mach and face the past. 

_“I’ll be with you every step of the way.”_ Sothis vows solemnly and that makes the mercenary feel better about the imminent future. _“But we also can’t keep expecting Edelgard and the rest of the Black Eagles to not ask any questions.”_

Byleth nods, already thinking of one specific person that had probably looked deeper into her past the moment her connection with her father was discovered. 

“He would be a bad spy if he didn’t.” the mercenary chuckles. “And who knows, perhaps he’ll be able to uncover something that I don’t know.” 

“ _Something that you seem to be oddly looking forward to.”_ Sothis chuckles. 

Smiling, Byleth nods and continues making her way to one of the secret rooms within the castle. 

After her heart to heart with Edelgard, the Emperor had told her that she was going to summon the Black Eagles to an emergency meeting in one of the secret war rooms of the castle. The rooms, which had been built around the same time as the castle, had not been used very often by Edelgard and the Strike Force to keep their location a secret. 

Now that the spy had been caught, it made sense for Edelgard to wish to use the room to keep their discussion away from curious and malicious eyes. 

Opening the door and noticing that most of the Black Eagles were already there, Byleth receives nods and waves from most of her students before their gazes turn serious. They all knew that if Edelgard had summoned them, it had to be for something extremely important.

Taking a seat, Byleth notices that the only people still missing were Edelgard and Hubert. 

“Welcome back Professor.” she hears Ferdinand say to her. “I’m glad to see you’ve returned from your trip in good health.” 

“Thank you.” she smiles and remembers that Edelgard had told everyone that Byleth asked for permission to travel due to personal matters. 

That, of course, had been a rouse so her absence could be explained. 

“Was your trip productive?” Ferdinand asks her. 

“It was.” Byleth answers honestly and focuses on the other Black Eagles. “I hope you were all still able to train and prepare during my absence.” 

Before any of them can answer her, the doors to the room open, Edelgard and Hubert both making their way in. 

“Good morning.” Edelgard tells them with a soft smile as she heads to her chair. “Thank you for being here after I abruptly summoned you all. And, for being so patient with me when it comes to the information I can share with you about our enemies.” 

“While I don’t like knowing that you still keep secrets from us Edie, I know you do so out of you caring and wanting to protect us.” Dorothea says softly. 

“Thank you, my friends, for trusting me and staying by my side.” Edelgard tells them vulnerably and they are all surprised to see her be so open with them. “When I decided to rise against the Church and Those Who Slither in the Dark, I had expected to do so alone.” she looks at each of them. “It makes me truly happy to see that wasn’t the case.” 

“We’ll always support you Edelgard!” Bernadetta promises and the Black Eagles nod in unison.

“If you mentioned those monsters in front of the professor, then we can assume she has been informed about them as well.” Ferdinand says while looking at Byleth. 

Edelgard nods. 

“That is one of the things I wanted to discuss with you all.” she says solemnly. “When I told you that Byleth had asked for some time away due to personal reasons, that wasn’t the truth. The truth is that Byleth and Dorothea went away on a mission for me to Arianrhod. Only Hubert and I were fully aware of their true objectives.” 

“I’m assuming you had to lie because you needed to make sure the mole within our midst wasn’t aware of the Professor’s true reason for being away.” Linhardt theorizes. 

“Indeed. It became pretty clear that the mole had an important position within the palace, meaning that rather than try to hide information from them, the best thing to do was be misleading in what we revealed.” Edelgard explains. 

“Which is why you lied about the Professor’s absence as well as Thea’s mission.” Petra surmises. “Why did you send the two of them to Faerghus territory?” 

“A spy gave us maps and schematics that showed a flaw in the infrastructure of the Silver Maiden. Flaws that we could use to infiltrate and siege the fortress.” 

“You mean we could recover the Silver Maiden?” Ferdinand asks, baffled. “That would not only boost morale in the soldiers but it would also assuage some of the nobles that are still resistant to your reforms.” 

“Which is why we had to send two individuals that aren’t well known in Faerghus’ nobility but still very capable of spying and protecting themselves. The Professor and Dorothea were the obvious choices.” Hubert adds and takes out the same schematics Byleth and Dorothea had taken with them. “And the two of them were able to confirm that these schematics are correct: These maps are indeed the way into Arianrhod.” 

“But even before this, you had the army training and preparing.” Ferdinand stares at Edelgard. “Why do so if you weren’t sure the contents of the map were trustworthy?” 

“I wasn’t hesitant because I didn’t trust the information. I was hesitant because of who gave me the maps.” Edelgard admits to them. “While I suspected that their information had to be true, I wanted to understand their motives for sharing that information with me. Why do they want me to invade Arianrhod when we’ve discovered that an ally of theirs is the one that has control of the fortress?” 

When Edelgard says that, Byleth immediately connects the dots. The spy that had given Edelgard the schematics was an ally of Cornelia. 

“Yet I am getting ahead of myself. And in order for all of you to fully understand what has happened behind the scenes, I need to tell you another of my secrets.” she looks up and sees everyone staring at her. “When I decided to fight the Church, I knew that my power as Emperor was not going to be enough.” 

“What does that mean?” Dorothea asks. 

“After the Insurrection of the Seven, the powers of the Emperor were eliminated so that the position would only be symbolic.” Hubert explains to her. “The Prime Minister and the Imperial Minister were the ones behind the coup, getting enough support from House Gerth, Bergliez, Hevring and Varley to successfully make the Emperor a mere figurehead.” 

“At the time, the argument given by Duke von Aegir and Marquis von Vestra was that the Emperor had too much power to influence the way nobles ruled their territories. It also didn't help that, to suppress House Hrym’s insurrection, the Empire wiped out their house’s main genetic line and put a puppet leader in the Hrym territory.” Edelgard adds. 

“Suggestions that were given to Emperor Ionius by the Prime Minister and the Adrestian government.” Hubert chuckles. “Regardless, that type of retaliation was enough to make the remaining Empire nobles fear the power of the Emperor and rebel against him.” 

“I have no excuse to justify the past actions of my father…” Ferdinand whispers and they all stare at him. “But what I swore to do, after I learned of what he did to my Emperor and her family, was to make sure I became a worthy Prime Minister. One that would do what was right for the Empire and the Emperor.” 

“And I appreciate that, Ferdinand.” Edelgard tells him softly. “Like I told you a year ago, the actions of our fathers do not define our own.” 

“Thank you Edelgard.” he tells her with a sad smile and the Black Eagles know that for now, this would be enough. “And like Edelgard and Hubert have said, after the coup, the Emperor didn’t have any sort of political or military power. It all went to the Prime Minister.” 

“I knew that in order to rise against the Church, I needed the full powers of the Empire to be under my control. This meant that I needed to recover the power my father lost during the Insurrection of the Seven.” she notices Ferdinand looking away. “Because of this, I had to ally myself with the same people who were responsible for my family’s demise as well as the turmoil Fodlan has experienced for many years now.” 

The moment she says that, a deafening silence fills the room. And, after what seemed like minutes, Ferdinand rose from his chair and stared desperately at Edelgard. 

“Edelgard, please tell me you didn’t!” he bellows to the surprise of everyone in the room . “PLEASE TELL ME YOU DIDN’T ALLY YOURSELF WITH THOSE MONSTERS!” 

Standing up, Byleth is ready to make Ferdinand calm down. Yet before she can do anything else, she sees Hubert move closer to the noble and stop him from advancing. 

“FERDINAND!” Hubert yells and the fact that he raised his voice makes everyone in the room freeze. “You will let Her Majesty finish talking.” he orders and, probably because of the shock of having Hubert yell at him, the nobleman nods and sits back down. 

“Thank you Hubert.” Edelgard says after a moment. “As I was saying, I knew I would be able to recover the Emperor’s powers if I made an alliance with the same people who had taken them away. And not only did that alliance allow us to find the traitors within the Adrestian nobility but it also helped us slow down the Agarthans from achieving their true objectives.” she adds solemnly. “Yet our alliance is fragile, with both their leader and I knowing that the moment we defeat our common enemy, the Church, we will fight each other.” 

The moment Edelgard finishes saying that, the room falls in complete silence, everyone taking a moment to process what the Emperor had just told them. Not only were they learning that they had worked with monsters over the past two years, but they also learned how treacherous the Insurrection of the Seven had truly been. 

Lysithea is the one that breaks the silence. 

“Believe me, I’m just as upset as you all are to hear that Edelgard made an alliance with the same monsters that were responsible for turning us into this.” she says bitterly as she shows them her two crests. “But I also understand that without them aiding her soft coup, she wouldn’t have been able to get rid of all the traitors within the Empire and built her army to what it is today.” 

“But what about our cause?” Ferdinand argues passionately. “We are claiming it’s just because the Church has lied and manipulated humans for centuries. Yet the monsters that are aiding us have done the same!” 

“That view of the world as simply black or white will cost you greatly.” Byleth tells him and this makes the Black Eagles focus on her. “War is not pretty. There is no glory in death and only the winning side is the right one.” she shrugs. “Just like the Emperor has a justified cause to fight the Church and Those Who Slither in the Dark; our enemies will probably have their own rightful reasons to fight her.” 

“An endless cycle of violence.” Bernadetta murmurs. 

“Then why even fight?” Ferdinand asks bitterly. “If none of us are truly right, what right do we have to raise our weapons against our enemies?” 

“Do you believe in your Emperor’s vision of the world? In her plans for the Empire and Fodlan?” Byleth asks him seriously. 

Ferdinand nods. 

“Then that’s what you’re fighting for: For your personal beliefs and your dreams.” the mercenary tells him simply. “At least that’s enough for me.” 

“And for me too.” Caspar exclaims. “I believe in Edelgard and her dreams for the Empire. I want to help her make things better for people like me.” 

“I want to see people who have the right aptitudes and talents get the same opportunities as nobles do.” Dorothea smiles. 

“I want to be able to choose what I wish to do and how to live my life.” Linhardt tells them softly. “To be free of the duties of my last name and status as a noble.” 

“Linhardt! That’s a very selfish thing to say.” Ferdinand complains but then chuckles. “Yet it would be hypocritical of me to tell you that when we are all fighting for a world where we will be free to be who we choose to be.” he stares at Edelgard. “I’m assuming this was the only way to get to where we are now?” 

Edelgard nods. 

“When our fathers took control of the Empire, it left the Emperor in a difficult position.” Hubert explains. “And only with someone influential enough to gather the support of the other Ministers, was Her Majesty able to get enough power to take back control from the Prime Minister and the Imperial Minister.” 

“After I claimed the throne, Hubert and I immediately started eliminating the traitors and nobles that wouldn’t support our cause. At the same time, we added our own supporters to aid and prevent the remaining nobles from trying to create another coup.” Edelgard tells them. “Yet the Adrestian nobles are the least of our worries. The Agarthans, while clear about their objective to destroy the Church, are not only doing so out of revenge. There’s something else that they want, and from our research and suspicions, it seems that whatever they’re looking for is at Garreg Mach.” 

“Which is why they want us to advance into Faerghus territory as quickly as possible.” Petra murmurs. 

“And because you know you can’t fully trust their motives, you had Dorothea and I go to Arianrhod.” Byleth says simply. 

Edelgard nods. 

“The Agarthans have their own objectives in this war against the Church. While their main mission is to kill the False Goddess, they have also shown a disturbing interest in crests and the relics. Hubert and I have done our utmost best to make sure we recover those weapons before they do.” 

“Which is why we ran into them a year ago at that secret library.” Linhardt realizes. “They are collecting the relics and crest stones for their own reasons. Reasons we don’t know yet.” 

“Indeed. The last thing I want is to allow the Agarthans to get more crests, stones and relics that they can use for their nefarious research. Hubert and I suspect that there has to be something in Arianrhod that the Agarthans want.”

“With us battling and winning Arianrhod, that would give them access to the fortress and whatever they want from it.” Ferdinand muses. 

“The dolls.” Byleth whispers. “They want to take the dolls out of there and bring them closer to them. In fact, you probably suspect that what they could want from Garreg Mach are similar weapons to the ones we saw Cornelia use at Arianrhod.” she tells the Emperor who nods. 

“Our encounter with them at the secret library a year ago, as well as the revelation of those strange dolls at Arianrhod, makes us believe that there’s a weapon in Garreg Mach, probably made by the Nabateans; that they wish to claim.” Hubert smirks. “Yet we also can’t ignore the opportunity to invade Arianrhod for our own goals.” 

The Black Eagles nod in agreement. 

“Which is why I’ve decided to go ahead and attack Arianrhod. But rather than allow our enemies to recover the dolls, we will specifically plan to destroy them.” Edelgard tells them her plan. 

“But we could use those weapons.” Caspar argues. “If they’re as powerful as the Professor and Dorothea claim, then having those will be beneficial.” 

“No.” Lysithea and Edelgard say at the same time. 

“We will not use their rotten technology.” the Emperor is firm. “No one ever will.” 

“I think that is wise.” Byleth adds from her seat. “With the weapons destroyed, that will hurt the Agarthans’ chances of recovering or stealing them back from us. Based on the fact that they’re trying their hardest to get them, we could assume that means they’re made with finite resources?” 

“Very good Professor.” Hubert compliments her to everyone’s surprise. “Indeed. While the Agarthans are capable of manufacturing weapons, the resources they need to do so are quite limited. And not only that, but the people able to operate them are few as well.” 

“From what Dorothea told us, it seemed like the spells and commands Cornelia’s dark mages used to activate the dolls are occult magic that only she could have taught them. I also found that the initial spell needed to awaken the dolls from their slumber had to be cast by Cornelia.” Linhardt tells them seriously. 

“So only after she activated the dolls for the first time were the Dark Mages able to do so as well.” Dorothea surmises.

“Which means that to hurt the Agarthans and prevent them from using more of those dolls, we need to kill Cornelia.” Byleth says simply and the Emperor nods in confirmation. 

They needed to kill Cornelia during the Battle of Arianrhod. 


	22. The Calm Before the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Edelgard orders the Black Eagles to prepare for battle, many of them can't help but think of how this battle feels different from all the ones they had before and how winning could change things in Fodlan forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 390 kudos! I can't believe it! Thank you all so so much for liking and following this story. Talking to you about the different theories and reading your comments really makes my day.  
> Again, thank you all for reading and I hope you like this chapter! Like the title says, it's the calm before the storm :) 
> 
> Don't forget to let me know what you think, I love reading what you say :)

_Derdriu, Capital of the Leicester Alliance_

Staring at the map in front of him, Claude can’t help but feel that he’s slowly losing control. Ever since Edelgard and him met, he had learned that there was more to this war than just a disagreement between the Church and the Empire. The Archbishop, who many saw as the Goddess’ representative on Fodlan, was in fact Saint Seiros herself. Yes, the same saint that had liberated the world from Nemesis more than a millenia ago.

Meaning that Archbishop Rhea wasn’t human at all. 

Nabateans was what Edelgard had called them. Mythical beings that had arrived in Fodlan and made an alliance with the humans living here. An alliance where these creatures shared their wisdom, knowledge and even blood to improve the lives of the people around them. 

A trust that was shattered by a group of humans that had grown overconfident and fearful of the power and influence the Nabateans had. 

_Not that I blame them for that,_ Claude thinks as he wonders if he would have done the same thing and betrayed the Nabateans. 

“Well, Edelgard is.” he adds, thinking how Edelgard’s betrayal had to be seen by Rhea, who was supported by Wilhelm Paul Hresvelg, founder and first Emperor of Adrestia. 

“And we all know what the Archbishop does to the ones she sees as her enemies.” he murmurs as he remembers how worried and concerned he had been when he saw how the Archbishop punished the Western Church.

Still, it wasn’t until he saw those dark mages transform into demonic beasts that he realized that there was so much more he didn’t know.

And if there was one thing that Claude disliked, it was being misinformed. 

Groaning and getting to the table to pour himself a drink, he knows he needs to make a decision about the role he wants the Alliance to have in this war. When Edelgard had approached him, he had expected her to offer him an unfavorable deal. Instead, she had done the complete opposite and proposed something attainable. Not only was an equal alliance between the Empire and Leicester the best-case scenario for the future of his territory, but such partnership would also make their position in Fodlan one of great influence; which went in accordance with Claude’s future plans for Fodlan and its integration with other territories outside of it. 

That was of course if the Empire won the war against the Church and Faerghus. 

And even then, he wasn’t naive to think that Edelgard would just give him free rein once their enemies were destroyed. With the Empire coming out as the main victor, and stronger because of their acquisition of Faerghus and Garreg Mach, that would leave the Empire in a better position than Leicester and capable of controlling how they acted after the war. 

Controlling the way Leicester conducted their foreign policy. 

“Which could be arranged by making a treaty and laying specific terms to make sure neither territory abuses of its powers once the war is over.” Claude chuckles. “In all honesty, I wanted to see how the war would play out and which side would be closer to winning before making a deal.” 

“Which is very you.” he hears a familiar voice and turns around to see Lysithea sitting in one of the chairs while sipping some tea. “Waiting to see which side is the closest to victory and then make a deal with them.” 

“Well hello there.” he chuckles. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here again so soon after you left for Enbarr. And you already know how I am. Surely this wasn’t unexpected of me.” he then turns serious. “But your arrival is. If you’re here then that must mean Edelgard has made a decision regarding her next steps.” 

Lysithea nods. 

“Edelgard wanted me to come and formally inform you of the Empire’s intention to attack Arianrhod and launch an offensive against Faerghus and its King.” 

“As a response to our intel about his intentions to invade Enbarr.” Claude murmurs. “Yet for her to try to conquer the Silver Maiden… It must mean she has some very good information about the fortress and a clear way to win it.” 

Lysithea nods again. 

“Us winning and gaining entrance into Faerghus would be the next step in the Emperor’s plan to conquer Faerghus and take down the Church. As such, by that time we would like to know Leicester’s answer to our proposition of an alliance between the Adrestian Empire and the Leicester Alliance.” 

“Because if you ally yourselves with the Alliance then that could allow you to attack Fhirdiad from two different sides, giving you an advantage over the Kingdom’s forces.” Claude smiles. “It is very kind of Edelgard to inform me of her plans and give me time to officially prepare a response. When we first met all those years ago, I wouldn’t have expected her to be so considerate with her possible enemies.” 

“She’s not.” Lysithea tells him firmly. “She’s only considerate to her possible allies.” 

Claude laughs. 

“Of course.” he raises his hand and Hilda steps out from the shadows. “You know you could have told me you were going to let Lysithea in and stay during our conversation.” 

“Like how you told me Lysithea was a spy of the Empire for all these years?” she huffs and looks at Lysithea. “I know you already made a decision, but could I ask you why it is that you chose Edelgard?” 

Lysithea nods. 

“The enemies Edelgard is facing, they’re the same enemies I have. And, while Claude had some idea of what was happening, he still didn’t know enough to do more. He didn’t have the right cause to raise arms against them.” 

“And Edelgard does?” Hilda asks her. 

“She really does. I believe in her.” 

“Even though it was the former Emperor, Edelgard’s father, the one that took your House hostage and made life for your family a living hell?” Hilda asks, baffled.

“At first I also thought that he was the one responsible for my family’s sorrow and pain. But the more I learned and researched about the Empire, I came to discover that it hadn’t been the Emperor the one that made the order. It had been someone else. Someone more powerful and ruthless giving orders from the shadows.” 

“And this enemy is the one Edelgard is facing in the war?” Claude intervenes seriously, realizing Lysithea was giving him extra information about the ongoing war. “The one that was acting from the shadows when your family was persecuted?” 

Lysithea nods. 

“Then it makes sense for you to choose Edelgard.” Hilda smiles sadly. “Can’t say I understand but what I can say is that we all miss you.” 

“So do I.” Lysithea smiles sadly. “You were the best friends I could have asked for.” 

“So were you.” Claude smiles but then gets serious. “You can tell Emperor Edelgard that by the time she returns from her battle at Arianrhod she will get an official response from me.” 

“Understood.” the mage stands up and smiles at the two of them. “I hope that the next time I get to see you it will be as allies.” she bows before leaving the room. 

Once Lysithea is gone, Claude and Hilda turn their attention to the map the man was analyzing earlier. 

“Something about what Lysithea just told you interested you.” Hilda stares knowingly at him. 

“It’s a good thing only you know my tells.” Claude chuckles. “But yes, what she said made me think that there’s something else going on.” 

‘What do you mean by that? You know I hate it when you talk in riddles Claude.” the pink-haired woman groans. 

“From what I understood, it seems that the Church and Faerghus are not the only enemies Edelgard is worrying about.” he muses. “And that these enemies are somehow related to the Insurrection of the Seven.” 

“And you want me to try to find out more about it.” 

“I knew I could count on you.” Claude smiles. “Besides, I’m sure you’ve been feeling a little restless after discovering and dismantling that network of spies?” 

Hilda chuckles. 

“You really know me the best Claude.” she smirks. “Alright, I’ll go find as much as I can about this Insurrection and its main players. But while I do that, do you have an idea already of what your response to Edelgard’s proposal will be?” she questions him as she pours herself a drink. 

“Of course.” Claude smiles. “But it doesn’t hurt to see how this upcoming battle will turn out, right?” 

* * *

_Fhirdiad, Capital of the Kingdom of Faerghus_

After Dimitri gave them his orders to start preparing for the upcoming battle against the Empire, Ingrid had done her best to learn as much as she could about the number of soldiers, weapons and dolls that Cornelia would have available. Yet, unsurprisingly, all the important details were being handled by the War Council, which was not letting anyone apart from them know the plan. Even though Ingrid and the Blue Lions were the ones leading the battalions, they weren’t being told a thing to help them prepare. 

_We are being treated like sacrificial lambs,_ Ingrid thinks bitterly as she makes her way inside the Royal Castle. 

Once upon a time, when she was younger and dreamed of becoming a Kingdom Knight, Ingrid used to love visiting the Royal Castle. Not only did it allow her to see the many soldiers and knights that the King employed, but it also showed her how wonderful their kingdom was and how important it was to protect it. 

Now she felt the complete opposite when she entered the palace. 

After many battles and fights in which no side was truly victorious, Ingrid had grown bitter and frustrated with the way Dimitri was leading them. To be fair, she had made her mind to support Edelgard and agreed to be her spy. Yet a part of her still believed that Dimitri could change. Unfortunately, the faith and hope she had placed in her childhood friend to do what was best for their people had disappeared as the years went by. 

And still, there was nothing that bothered her more than coming to the Royal Palace. 

Ingrid had thought that she would get used to the many hallways and rooms of the Royal Castle the more time she spent in it. That with more exposure to it, the less luxurious and ostentatious it would seem to her. Yet even now, years after having visited it the first time with her father and brother alongside her; the blonde woman couldn't help to think that all of this luxury and wealth were a misdirection of how Faerghus actually was. 

The people were begging for food, the soldiers were too tired from the war with the Empire, the politicians and nobles were taking advantage of the King’s mental state and were getting richer and richer… 

It was all a chaos that this castle didn’t show to the people inside of it.

 _But that’s not why I’m here now,_ Ingrid scolds herself for losing focus on what she had to do. 

After the Blue Lions were told King Dimitri’s orders, each one of them had returned to their own territories to prepare their soldiers for the trip to Enbarr. Or at least that is what they wanted everyone to believe. 

_Flashback_

“If we are going to do this.” Sylvain says solemnly to all of them. “Then we need to be cautious about who to trust and approach.” he looks down. “Apart from the ones in here, there’s no one else in the Kingdom I trust.” 

The Blue Lions nod in agreement. 

“My father follows Dimitri but first and foremost he is loyal to Faerghus.” Felix says confidently. “If we were to approach him with proof about Dimitri's true intentions, if those even exist, then I know he will listen to us and fill the gaps about the Tragedy.” 

“But for that to even be a possibility we need to gather information about the Tragedy ourselves.” Mercedes murmurs. “Information that is not available in any of the Kingdom’s libraries.” 

“Is there really no way for us to find out more about it?” Ashe asks exasperated. “Can they really prevent us from getting to the truth of what happened?!” 

“They can.” Ingrid tells him somberly. “They’re the ones in control and they choose what they want the masses, and even the nobles themselves, to think and know.” 

“Perhaps. But just because there is no written record of the Tragedy that doesn’t mean there isn’t information out there about it.” Annette says suddenly. “I will need a couple of days though before I can confirm my theory. But, if it holds then that will give us a path to find the truth.” 

“That sounds promising enough to me.” Mercedes says with a smile. 

“Indeed. Though to avoid anyone suspecting us and our plans, we need to follow through with Dimitri’s orders and return to our estates to gather our troops.” 

“That won’t be a problem to me since I live in the capital.” Annette smiles. “And I think the information is here at Fhirdiad.” 

“I don’t like the idea of Annette doing all of this by herself.” Ashe adds somberly. “Not that I don’t think you’re not capable of protecting yourself.” he explains himself. “But the mere thought of something happening to you while we are all so far away…” 

“I will stay and help Annie with her research.” Ingrid promises them with a smile. “My territory does not have substantial troops, and as a Royal Knight, it wouldn’t be surprising for soldiers to see me stay behind.” 

“That is true.” Felix tells them. “While the two of them find the information we need, we’ll go back and try to stall things for as long as we can without making it too obvious.” he shrugs. “Hopefully we’ll get the answers we need before Dimitri gives the order to march forward.”

“I’ll do all I can.” Annette promises but Ingrid can see how tense the mage had gotten when she realized how big of a responsibility she now had on her shoulders. 

Yet all she could do was watch and offer help when needed. 

_End of Flashback_

“You’ve been very quiet since we made our way inside the castle.” Annette tells her as she walks next to her. “Do not get me wrong, it’s totally alright if you want to walk silently, I just… This is not the first time I’ve seen that look in your eyes when we’re here.” 

“Look?” Ingrid asks her, surprised. 

“Like you can’t understand why this place is the way it is.” Annette says knowingly. “That all of the things in here are a far cry from how this kingdom truly looks like today.” 

Ingrid chuckles. 

“Am I that obvious in my dislike of this castle?” 

“Not at all! I just know you, Ingrid. We’ve been friends for years now.” the mage smiles at her. 

“You’re right. I’ve never liked the castle very much. All of this wealth, these heirlooms and treasures… They’re collecting dust while the people outside don’t have enough to eat.” she looks at Annette. “Perhaps it has to do with me growing up the way I did. In a state of near poverty.” she clarifies. “And seeing these things just being kept here without anyone appreciating or valuing them… It has always bothered me.” 

“I understand.” Annette says honestly. “And I don’t blame you for feeling that way. To me, these treasures are reminders of the past and the glory of the Kingdom. Their value is in their history, one that we have to protect and keep teaching future generations.” she then looks sadly at her. “Yet when I look at them now, I don’t feel the same joy I felt years ago. Like you, I see these treasures and think of the starving and desperate people outside the palace’s gates. And rather than fondly remember the Kingdom’s past glories, all I think when I look at these relics is how far we’ve gone from those days.” 

“Annette…” 

“Sorry, I guess I was also feeling a little somber after our conversation the other day.” the younger woman chuckles. “But talking to you about it, and knowing that you’ve been feeling unsettled too, soothes me. Not to say that I like knowing you don’t feel well, of course not. I mean…” 

“I know what you meant.” Ingrid stops her rambling with a chuckle. “And I’m the same as you. Knowing I’m not alone in my doubts and questions makes me feel better. Safer.” she adds the last part before a couple of guards walk past them. 

Annette nods in agreement. 

“I was relieved when you told us you were staying in the capital as well.” she admits as they arrive at the library, Annette opening the door and walking down to the Old Kingdom History section. “With Mercie returning to Garreg Mach to tell the Archbishop our plan of attack and the others spread out between the different battalions, I was a little worried to do this alone.” 

“Completely understandable.” Ingrid assuages her. “It does look a little suspicious for us to be here while the rest of the Blue Lions are preparing for battle, so I’m glad I’m here where I can protect you.” 

“And I appreciate it. It allows me to focus on the research.” she murmurs as she starts going through an old book. ‘Though to be honest, I’m not expecting to find much here.”

“Why?” 

“Because ever since I’ve been aware of the Tragedy, I’ve wanted to find more information about it. And, I’ve never found more than what the history books in class mention of the event. As if the information available has been kept hidden for a reason.” 

“Then what are you hoping to find here?” Ingrid asks her. 

“This is just a rouse in case there’s someone looking too closely at us.” Annette smirks as she slips away, Ingrid smiling at her friend’s antics. 

“You do know it isn’t suspicious at all to find you of all people in here, right Annie?” Ingrid teases her. 

“My reputation precedes me then.” Annette teases her back as she puts one big book on the table next to them. “And, this is what I was looking for. I had read about this type of book before, but I wasn’t sure the library still kept them after they remodeled the place ten years ago.” 

“There was a remodeling of the Royal Library?” Ingrid asks. 

Annette nods. 

“Officially it says that the purpose was to upgrade the library and make sure the content inside of it would be protected from the natural elements. Yet when I went back to check on some of the books available before the remodeling was done, I realized that they were no longer there.” Annette tells her. 

“So they used the remodeling to take the books out without it being noticed.” Ingrid surmises. 

“Yes. And I was hoping that this specific book wasn’t taken with the others. Thankfully I was right.” she smiles as she shows her the book. 

_Official Registry for the Royal Palace._

“The Palace’s registry?” Ingrid is surprised by her friend’s choice. 

“I already know that I won’t be able to find any type of written word about the Tragedy. At least not tabulated in any official document. So the next thing to do is find people who were working at the palace during the time the Tragedy took place.” 

“And when we know who they are we can ask them about it.” Ingrid muses. “It’s definitely less riskier than asking Lord Rodrigue.” 

Annette nods. 

“We need to know what happened and who were the people involved to understand why Dimitri feels what he feels about Edelgard. I just hope this registry can guide us in the right path to find those answers.” 

_So do I,_ Ingrid thinks as she helps Annette read and keep a record of what they were finding. 

_For all of our sakes._

* * *

_Enbarr, Capital of Adrestia_

After Edelgard told them of their alliance with the Agarthans, many of the Black Eagles had needed time to fully grasp what it meant and what this upcoming battle against Faerghus would mean for them. Although they had fought in the war for two years now, for the first time since the war started, they felt that things would drastically change. 

Either in their favor or against them depending on the result of the battle. 

“It doesn’t suit you to look so worried.” Ferdinand hears a familiar voice tell him and turns around to find Hubert hiding in the shadows. 

Of course he was. 

“And I can’t say I’m surprised to find you lingering in the shadows.” the noble chuckles. “Also, can you really blame me for feeling this way after all I’ve learned? My father’s betrayal, our alliance with the same monsters that hurt Edelgard and Lysithea as well as caused the deaths of many other children... “ 

“It is not your pain to bear.” Hubert tells him firmly. “That is not what Her Majesty and Lysithea need from you. They need you to fight for their revenge, not to sulk in shame and self-pity.” 

“You…” Ferdinand chuckles. “You really don’t mince your words.” 

“I didn’t think I would need to when talking to you.” Hubert smiles at him. “Not if you wish to become the Prime Minister that Her Majesty needs.” 

“Are you saying then that you find me capable of becoming the next Prime Minister?” Ferdinand teases him, knowing this was the first time Hubert recognized he was capable of filling the position. 

“Not yet.” the dark mage clarifies with a smirk. “But if you continue performing and acting the same way you’ve been doing, then it may not be as far-fetched as it seemed when we were students at Garreg Mach.” 

“I was really naive back then.” Ferdinand murmurs as he looks at his hands. “Not truly aware of what being a noble meant and blind in my devotion to my father and the ideals he implanted in me.” 

“You’re no longer that young man, Ferdinand.” Hubert tells him confidently. “You’ve grown and done what was necessary to prove to everyone, but mostly yourself, that you’re more than your name and your titles.” 

Ferdinand stares at Hubert, surprised the man had been so open and honest with him. 

“Hearing you say that means more than what you think.” he tells him honestly. “Although I act as if I don’t, I do value your opinion.” 

Hubert gives him his familiar smirk. 

“Of course you do. It would be foolish if you didn’t.” he says confidently and this makes the younger man smirk. 

“Thank you Hubert.” he tells him honestly. “I really needed to hear that.” 

“Of course. You would be no good to Her Majesty if you were feeling all sad and upset.” 

“So you’re only here because it’s what is best for Edelgard?” Ferdinand asks him seriously. 

Hubert takes a moment to respond. 

“No.” he says loud enough for Ferdinand to hear, turning his back to him so that he wouldn’t see his face. “It wasn’t only because of her.” he whispers and leaves the room, making Ferdinand feel confused and hopeful. 

“Perhaps I’m not the only one feeling things.” he chuckles, nodding in determination as he finishes his preparations for the upcoming battle. 

On the other side of the castle, Dorothea was experiencing similar nerves to the ones Ferdinand felt. But unlike the nobleman whose cause of concern and shame came from his heritage and the actions of his father; Dorothea’s were more about what this battle would mean in the greater scale of things. 

What Edelgard’s vision of Fodlan would be for people like her. 

“It would mean no more nobles taking advantage of us and thinking of themselves as higher beings.” she murmurs as she packs her things in her travel bag. “It would mean no more children being abandoned by their parents because they didn’t have a crest to validate their worth.” she closes her eyes. 

It would mean everything. 

“You are thinking too much again.” the brunette hears Petra say to her. 

Dorothea opens her eyes and sees Petra standing in front of her with her own bag already packed. 

“I am.” she admits with a smile and makes space for Petra to sit next to her. “I just… For the first time since the war started, I feel that this upcoming battle will truly change things. Not only will it let us enter Faerghus, but it will show to all those snobby nobles that Edelgard’s a true leader to follow.” 

“Indeed.” Petra agrees with her. “Yet that is not what is truly worrying you, is it?” 

Dorothea chuckles. 

“You really know me all too well.” she looks at her hands and the many calluses on it from her childhood. “I’ve already told you that I used to be an opera singer before going to Garreg Mach, right?” 

Petra nods. 

“What I didn’t tell you was that before that, I was a beggar on the streets. My mother had an affair with a nobleman, and at first the both of us were taken care of by him. Yet when it was revealed that I didn’t have a crest he threw both of us out to the streets.” 

Petra stays silent, knowing that there’s more to the story. 

“Living on the streets was too hard on my mother, who passed away due to an illness. And, without her to help, I used to get beaten by many of the nobles whom I approached.” the mage reminisces with a sad smile. “Then someone heard me sing and my life changed. I was one of the lucky ones.” she chuckles bitterly. “As an opera singer, I gained access to nobles, wealth and luxuries that for years I had only dreamed about. Yet it was all because a noble had considered my voice worthy of notice. A voice that I knew wouldn’t last forever.” 

“Which is why you enrolled at Garreg Mach.” Petra surmises. 

“One of my mentors at the Opera was Manuela, our professor at Garreg Mach. She vouched for me and I was able to enroll. To be honest, my initial goal was to find a good partner and settle down with them in a comfortable life. I just… I couldn’t go back to the streets.” she whispers the last part, feeling vulnerable about revealing so much of her past to one of the people that mattered the most to her. 

“I would never judge you, Thea.” Petra promises her. 

“I know you wouldn’t.” Dorothea grabs her hand and squeezes it. “Just like I knew I could tell you my story and still have your support. Of course, meeting Edelgard and getting swept into the war wasn’t part of my plans.” she chuckles. “But I can’t say I regret it. Not when I believe in the changes Edelgard wants to make and how they would give children like me more opportunities to succeed.” 

“And is that what worries you?” Petra asks her. “What will actually happen when we win the war?” 

Dorothea nods. 

“When I was told that I would need to come to Fodlan, I was afraid.” Petra admits to her. “I had never left Brigid and we had just lost the war against the Empire. I did not speak the language and I knew this was a way for the Empire to show their power over us.” she closes her eyes. “Yet my grandfather told me: Worry about the things you can control for all else will fall into place.” she smiles at the memory. “I made it my goal to learn the language, to show to Edelgard and the other Adrestian nobles that I was more than a foreigner. That I am capable of more. That Brigid is capable of more.” 

“And you’ve shown that to all of us, especially Edelgard.” Dorothea reaffirms. “There would be no Black Eagles without you, Petra.” 

“Hearing you say that makes me happy.” Petra smiles at her. “And it makes me more determined than ever to fight and win. For our future.” 

Dorothea nods in agreement. 

“For our future.” 

Stepping away from the door, Byleth can’t help but smile at the conversation she had just heard. Having noticed during practice that Dorothea seemed worried, the bluenette woman had planned to talk to her. 

Yet it seems her intervening wasn’t necessary. 

_“It’s nice to see how much your students have grown on you.”_ Sothis appears next to her. 

“I care about them.” Byleth agrees with the girl. “And I know that what Edelgard told them a couple of days ago affected them.” 

_“I’m surprised it didn’t affect you as much as it did them.”_ Sothis murmurs. _“Then again, Edelgard did tell you about it the night before her announcement.”_

Byleth nods. 

“After seeing what those dolls can do, as well as Rhea’s true form, I don’t blame Edelgard for allying herself with those monsters.” the mercenary whispers. “Doesn’t mean I like it.” 

_“The sooner we get rid of them, the better.”_ Sothis agrees. _“Those Agarthans…”_ she closes her eyes. _“They feel familiar yet at the same time I can’t remember.”_ she groans bitterly. 

“In time I’m confident we’ll find more about who you are.” Byleth soothes her. “Like you told me months ago, it seems like our path has become intertwined with Edelgard’s, meaning that the answers to our questions lie in her victory.” 

_“A victory that you want to ensure.”_

“I made an oath that I intend to keep.” the mercenary says firmly. “I will protect Edelgard.” 

“And I appreciate that.” both Sothis and her turn around to see the Emperor smiling at them. 

“Your Majesty.” Byleth stutters at having been discovered addressing the woman so casually. “Forgive me, I didn’t realize you were there.” 

_“Did you just stutter?”_ Sothis teases her and it takes all Byleth has to not react to the teasing. 

“That was my intention.” Edelgard chuckles as she looks at her surroundings. “Can’t say I’m familiar with this area of the gardens…” she grabs a flower as she sits down. “It is very pretty.” 

“It is.” Byleth smiles and sits down right next to her. “I like to come here to think.”

Edelgard stares questioningly at her. 

“About the war, my purpose, what this all means to me.” she shrugs. “Or at times I just like to take naps under the tree.” 

“That does sound like you.” Edelgard laughs and this makes Byleth smile. 

“Were you looking for me, Your Majesty?” 

“You can call me Edelgard when we are alone.” the white-haired woman tells her softly. “I… I liked hearing you say my name so casually.” 

Byleth blushes at this. 

_“You have to call her Edelgard!”_ Sothis scolds her when she takes too long to answer. 

“I will do my best, Edelgard.” she manages to say the Emperor’s name and sees the way that makes the younger woman relax. 

“Thank you, Byleth. And yes, I was looking for you. Yet it wasn’t for something in particular.” she blushes. “I guess I just wanted to be with you. It soothes me to be in your presence.” 

“Oh.” the mercenary doesn’t know what else to say to that. 

“I know I gave the order for us to march to Arianrhod…” Edelgard says after a moment. “And that our plan is solid. Still, I can’t help but worry about all the things that could go wrong and compromise our objective.” 

“It is inevitable to worry.” Byleth tells her simply. “We wouldn’t be human if we didn’t worry about an upcoming battle.” she smiles. “This may not be a very popular opinion, but I’ve always thought that worry makes us be more cautious and be more prepared. It is what will help protect us from making reckless decisions.” 

“I can see what you mean by that.” Edelgard agrees with her. “But doesn’t fear also paralyze us?” 

“That is something different. Fear is what we must overcome before the battle begins.” she stares at Edelgard. “Are you afraid, Edelgard?” 

Edelgard nods. 

“Me too.” she admits and feels brave enough to grab the Emperor’s hand and squeeze it. “But what makes me feel less afraid is that I know you will all be standing next to me, watching my back. Is it the same for you?” 

“It is.” Edelgard smiles. “Especially when I heard you say that you will protect me.” 

“I will always protect you.” Byleth vows. 

“Which gives me strength to do what I must.” the Emperor says determined. “And makes me realize that even though I’m the Emperor, I’m not the best suited one to lead the Strike Force.” 

This statement surprises Byleth, who hadn’t expected the Emperor to say that. 

“From the time you joined us to this day, it is impossible to deny how much the Black Eagles have improved. Not only was your advice beneficial, but your strategies and tactics during many of our missions were primordial to our success.” Edelgard explains. “Which is why I want you to unofficially lead us, Byleth. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be too well seen by the Adrestian nobles if I’m not the one leading the Strike Force. But I know this is the right decision. _You_ need to be the one leading us, Byleth.”

“I…” Byleth doesn’t know what to say. 

_“Tell her it’s an honor!”_ Sothis says in her mind. _“She’s giving you complete trust of her closest friends and allies! That’s a huge deal for her!”_

“I am honored, Edelgard and I promise I will not let you down.” Byleth bows once, which makes her hit her head with the floor and for Edelgard to start laughing hysterically. 

The pain she feels from her head bump is definitely worth it. 

* * *

_Arianrhod, west of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus_

Staring at the sky above her, Cornelia can’t help but smirk at how well her plan was going. She had been able to manipulate King Dimitri and make him attack Enbarr, which facilitated the transportation of the Titanus to Shambhala by making it seem as if they would be used for the upcoming battle. Which in reality she knew was not going to happen. Not when her true intentions were to betray the Kingdom during the battle at Enbarr. And not only that, but she was going to use the same dolls the King believed were his way into the Adrestian capital to demolish as many of the Kingdom’s troops as she could. 

The perfect end to her impeccable and infallible plan that took more than 20 years to fulfill. 

And it was all worth it. 

All to make those despicable humans and Nabateans pay for betraying them. 

“Cornelia!” she hears Rodrigue scream her name and watches him run to her, completely frazzled. “We… There’s an army approaching the walls of the city.” he explains and this surprises Cornelia. 

“Which kingdom?” she muses darkly. 

“The Empire. Emperor Edelgard herself is leading the army.” 


	23. The Battle of Arianrhod

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the Battle of Arianrhod looming ahead, we take a look at how all the different players are preparing for it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 417 kudos! Thank you all! With this update, Castle of the Crimson Flower has made it over 100k words! And, we still have ways to go! 
> 
> Hope you all stick around with me for this one :) 
> 
> And again, thank you so much for your incredible support. Reading your comments and theories really makes my day.

_ Somewhere Near the Outskirts of Arianrhod _

After traveling for two days, the army of the Adrestian Empire had swiftly made its arrival to Arianrhod. Following the schematics and maps obtained by the Faerghus’ mole, the Imperial generals and soldiers were able to place their troops in ideal locations for a surprise attack. To many, even to the Imperial soldiers themselves, it seemed like the Empire was going to attack Arianrhod’s main gate and force their way in. 

Which was precisely what Emperor Edelgard had wanted everyone to think. 

While the main army’s mission was to distract and eliminate as many Faerghus’ soldiers as possible, their true objective was to confuse the enemy and bring all enemy forces to the main gate so that the Strike Force could make its way inside the fortress and attack from within. 

Based on the maps Byleth, Dorothea and Ingrid had verified days earlier, the best way to enter the lab where the dolls were laying was through the back of the fortress. Edelgard knew that once the main army was discovered, Cornelia would give the order to activate the dolls. And, if things went according to plan, the Strike Force would be able to enter the fortress quickly enough so that they could stop Cornelia’s dark mages from activating most of the dolls with the counterspell Linhardt, Hubert and Lysithea had created. 

_ Flashback _

“Your Majesty.” the Emperor and Byleth stop fighting and lower their weapons when they hear Hubert behind them. “Apologies for interrupting your practice time but I have news regarding our intentions to stop the dolls from being activated.” 

This gets him the attention of the two women. 

“Were you able to create a counterspell?” Byleth asks. 

Hubert nods. 

“Linhardt and Lysithea were able to translate some of the ancient text from a book we obtained last year. It  _ should  _ be able to stop the dark mages from activating the dolls.” 

“But we can’t really know until we actually use the spell on the dolls.” Edelgard murmurs. “Regardless, this is an incredible job and I’m confident it will help us in our upcoming battle. Good job.” she smiles at him and the mercenary can’t stop herself from chuckling when she sees the compliment makes Hubert blush. 

_ End of Flashback _

With that counterspell, Byleth was hoping to keep most of the dolls from being activated, feeling honestly worried after seeing how powerful they were. It wasn’t that she doubted her students. On the contrary, she knew they were very capable. 

But why make things more difficult for everyone if they didn’t have to be? 

Looking at her surroundings inside their temporary camp, Byleth can see Edelgard going over some final battle formations with General Randolph; the man nodding and suggesting extra formations and plans to the Emperor as well. From what little conversation she had with him during her off days, Byleth knew that he was an honest and capable man, hard-working and willing to show everyone why it was that Edelgard entrusted him with his current position. 

A couple of months after her arrival at Enbarr, Byleth had learned General Randolph’s background from Flowa, who hadn’t hesitated to tell her his story. Born in a position where he would never achieve much, General Randolph was someone that had benefited from Edelgard’s ideals and dreams for the people of Fodlan. Not a high-class noble, his own family hadn’t expected much from him. Yet Edelgard had seen the loyalty and potential in him. Had made him rise within the army ranks to the jealousy, awe and bitterness of his fellow soldiers. 

“Giving him the title he has now was a lesson to all: In my Kingdom, if you work hard your effort will be recognized.” Edelgard had told her one day when they were talking about the General and how much information he should know about the Battle. 

_ “And it seems like it’s working.”  _ Sothis appears next to her.  _ “We have moved smoothly and the soldiers seem determined enough.”  _

Byleth nods. 

_ “Edelgard’s plan is really good. If we can capture the fortress from the inside and destroy the dolls, there’s no way Arianrhod can defend itself.”  _ she adds. 

_ “I agree. If things go smoothly, then our plan is infallible. Yet I know that’s usually not the way battles work. Something always happens that makes plans change at the last second.”  _ Byleth thinks somberly. 

_ “Pesimmist much, huh.”  _ Sothis groans.  _ “But I get why you worry. Just, just make sure you don’t tell your students that. It would make them more nervous than necessary. We’ll do the worrying for them.”  _

_ “It still makes me feel a little guilty about involving you and your powers in this battle that has nothing to do with you.”  _

_ “Like I told you a while ago, I feel that this is my path as well. And, I can’t just let you die if I want to discover who I truly am, right?”  _ Sothis chuckles.  _ “We are in this together, Byleth.”  _

“Together.” Byleth murmurs and notices Edelgard looking curiously at her. 

“General, I believe this is as much planning as we can do.” Edelgard tells him kindly. “Until we arrive at the battlefield and see what the enemy has in store for us, there’s no way for us to be more prepared.” 

“Agreed Your Majesty.” Randolph says. “Besides, we’re reaching the rendezvous point where the main army and the Strike Force will part ways. By launching our attack from afar, the enemy won’t notice you aren’t there until it’s too late.” 

“My decoy should be enough distraction to make them believe that I’m there before the battle begins. After that, it will all get lost in the chaos of battle.” 

Randolph nods and stands up from his chair. 

“Glory to the Empire and our Emperor!” he says as he bows, leaving the Emperor and Byleth alone. 

“It’s a good plan.” Byleth tells the Emperor who had returned to looking at the many maps around. “And like you told Randolph, there’s no more planning you can do.” 

Edelgard chuckles. 

“It’s not fair for you to use my own words against me.” 

“Well, someone very wise said them before to me so I thought it would be good to use them myself.” she smirks but then gets serious. “Also, we can’t wait much longer. The more we linger here, the more time we’re giving Cornelia and Arianrhod to prepare.” 

“I know.” Edelgard agrees and puts the maps in one big pile before burning them. “The time to plan and prepare is over.” she says firmly and marches outside, followed by Byleth. 

As the two walk through the Adrestian camp, they see many soldiers stare in awe at them, stopping what they were doing so they could take a look at the Emperor and her personal guard. 

Making her way to the center of the camp, Edelgard notices everyone’s attention on her. Soldiers, generals, her friends… They were all here because of her and her dream. Because they believed in her. And, for a moment it frightens her. To know that so many people were putting their lives on the line for her. Were blindly trusting her to lead them into battle. 

Were willing to die for her and her cause. 

_ Am I really worthy of such loyalty?  _

“Your Majesty.” Byleth whispers to her and feels the mercenary grab her hand tightly. “Your people are waiting for you.” she squeezes her hand firmly. “Tell them what they’re fighting for. Remind them of the past and give them hope about our future. Remind them why they’re here.”

“We are here because we believe in your vision of Fodlan.” Hubert says to her from her other side. “All you need to do is remind us. The rest will naturally follow.” 

Emboldened by Byleth and Hubert’s words, Edelgard takes a deep breath. 

“My people! Over the last two years, I know I’ve asked a lot of you. That I’ve promised plenty and haven’t been able to deliver much. Yet today is our chance to make history. To recover what our ancestors lost years ago and bring honor back to the Empire. And while that in itself is a worthy cause, it’s not the main reason we are here today. We are here today because it is our duty to our fellow brethren. The Church has manipulated and made us fight each other for centuries now. Dividing us based on something we have no control of which are our crests. This system, which only benefits the Church and their allies, is something that needs to be eliminated! We are more than our crests! More than our social standing and the family we come from! We can all be more than that! And it’s time the Church, the King of Faerghus and their allies realize it!” she says and hears all the soldiers cheer in return. 

“But do not get confused. My war is not against the Goddess nor the faith. It is against the Church and the Archbishop for abusing her powers and her position. And us taking over Arianrhod will be our first step into ending this war. Into finding closure and giving the people of Fodlan time to heal and learn.” she takes her sword and points it at the sky. “For Adrestia! For Fodlan!” she yells and everyone in the camp answers her back. 

“FOR ADRESTIA! FOR FODLAN!” 

“Now, let us win Arianrhod back.” Edelgard says firmly. 

* * *

_ Fhirdiad, Capital of the Kingdom of Faerghus _

“So, if we can move the dolls this quickly, then that will shorten our arrival time to Enbarr and prevent the Adrestians from defending themselves against our first wave.” one of the Kingdom generals says to Dimitri as they go over maps of Fodlan, mostly focusing on the ones that showed the towns and villages between Arianrhod and Enbarr. 

Ingrid, meanwhile, watches all of this unfold from the sidelines. 

After finding that staff book in the royal library, Annette had spent most of the day going through it in hopes of finding any familiar names that could give them some information about the Tragedy. And, while Ingrid had wished to stay and help her, she knew it would be too suspicious if she spent too much time at the library. 

Instead, she had chosen to attend the war meetings between Dimitri and the many Kingdom Generals. After their plan of action was decided during their last meeting, Cornelia had returned to Arianrhod to prepare the dolls and wait for the main army’s arrival to the fortress. Then, the dolls and the army would join forces and march straight to Enbarr to launch their attack. 

“The quicker we arrive at Enbarr, the better.” Dimitri mutters. “I don’t care how many houses and farms are destroyed as long as I can make Edelgard pay.” 

“Dimitri.” Ingrid whispers sadly, knowing that the man in front of her was no longer the boy who had been her childhood friend. 

_ BOOM!  _

Taking her sword out and pointing it at the door, Ingrid sees a messenger rushing right in, sweat pouring down her face and fear clear in her eyes. 

Whatever news she brought, they couldn’t be good. 

“Your Majesty!” she says and bows in front of Dimitri, who just looks at her. “I bring you terrible news from Arianrhod.” she stutters a little when she notices the way the King is just watching her. “The fortress is under attack!” 

This makes everyone in the room, including Ingrid, freeze. 

_ She has done it,  _ Ingrid thinks. 

Edelgard is invading Faerghus. 

“Who?” Dimitri whispers menacingly. “Who is attacking my Kingdom?!” he yells as he stands up and makes his chair fall in the process. 

“Emperor Edelgard.” the messenger whispers and sees the way the King’s grip on his sword tightens. 

“DAMN IT!” he bellows and uses his sword to hit the chair he had just thrown to the floor. “DAMN HER!” 

“Your Majesty.” some of the generals try to calm him. 

“SHE WILL DIE! I DON’T CARE IF IT’S THE LAST THING I DO OR HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN BUT SHE WILL DIE. SHE WILL DIE. SHE WILL PAY.” Dimitri rants angrily to everyone’s shock, the sight of the broken King making them all look away. 

“Your Majesty, let’s go get some rest.” Dedue grabs Dimitri from the shoulders and takes him away, leaving everyone inside the war room confused about what to do. 

“What shall we do?” one general asks loudly. “What are our orders?” 

Everyone remains silent, not willing to make a decision and face the ire of the King. 

“Even if we wanted to help, there’s no way our forces would reach Arianrhod on time.” another general adds. “Because we’ve been preparing for the attack on Enbarr, our forces are scattered all around the Kingdom.” 

“But the dolls are there!” one of them says excitedly. “And if the Emperor is leading the army herself… It could also end the war once and for all!” 

The generals nod, murmurs of excitement and hope filling the room. 

Ingrid just listens to them all, smiling a little at the naiveness of their line of thought. 

_ You are fools if you think that Edelgard risked so much without knowing that she would win the battle.  _

_ And because of that foolishness and selfishness, we will all pay.  _

Turning away from the generals and making her way out of the room, there is only one thing on Ingrid’s mind. 

“We need to find out what happened at Duscur now or it will be too late.”

* * *

_ Arianrhod, west of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus _

Using the same secret entrance that Dorothea, Ingrid and her had used when they infiltrated the fortress a while ago, Byleth is keenly aware of her surroundings. After they heard the horns of the Imperial army sound throughout the fields, Byleth had led the Strike Force though the secret passageway into the city. And, unsurprisingly, they had found that the guards and soldiers had all moved to the front gate to face the incoming threat from the Imperial army. 

Their plan was working. 

“I can sense dark magic concentrating below us.” Lysithea tells them as they go through the gardens. 

“The dark mages are performing the spell to awaken the dolls.” Hubert adds with a smirk. “Perhaps it’s time we try our own dark spell in return?” he asks Lysithea who nods in agreement. 

“And I will act as a guide to make sure that our dark magic doesn’t mix with the one Cornelia’s dark mages are using.” Linhard adds as the three mages place themselves in a circle. 

“That means that the moment you activate the spell, Cornelia will be aware of  _ our  _ presence and sound the alarm.” Dorothea says. 

Hubert, Lysithea and Linhardt nod. 

“And we need time to stabilize the spell, time in which we can’t move from this location. If we let go of our hands, the spell will break.” Lysithea reminds them. 

“Which is why we will make a perimeter around you and keep anyone away for as long as you need.” Petra promises them. 

“We are ready!” Caspar says excitedly. 

“I believe in you all.” Edelgard adds solemnly. “For victory!” 

“For victory!” the Strike Force says at once. 

“For victory.” Byleth and Sothis say and watch Hubert, Lysithea and Linhardt start chanting their spell. 

For a moment, nothing happens, the ground below the three mages shaking as the spell they’re chanting starts taking shape. Yet it’s not too long before soldiers start rushing out of the castle, screaming and bellowing as they run towards Hubert, Lysithea and Lindhart. 

“STOP THEM!” they yell and some take their bows out, wanting to surprise the Strike Force with a ranged attack. 

“Don’t you dare.” Dorothea mutters and uses Thoron to electrocute one of the archers, the man falling dead in a matter of seconds. 

“The mages, get the mages!” a soldier screams as he rushes for Lysithea, who has her eyes closed and is calmly chanting. 

“I’ll strike you down!” Edelgard takes out her axe and parries the soldier, who opens his eyes in shock at seeing the Emperor herself already inside the fortress. 

If she was here, then who was the one leading the Imperial army at the front gate? 

“It’s a trap!” he bellows to the surprise of the other Kingdom soldiers. “We need to tell the army to fall…” he chokes and watches the tip of an axe already through his stomach. 

The soldier falls to his death. 

“Do not let anyone escape!” Edelgard orders the Strike Force, who nods and starts chasing the soldiers that were trying to run away. 

“I will not let you escape.” Petra says and takes her bow out, hitting two soldiers that were retreating. 

“Petra!” Byleth says and watches the Brigid woman duck, giving her enough space to fire her own fireball against one soldier that had tried to sneak-up on the warrior. 

“Thank you.” the younger woman bows as she takes her sword out, chasing and killing all the soldiers in her path. 

_ “I haven’t seen any Dark Mages yet.”  _ Sothis says as Byleth takes an axe and cuts a woman’s head cleanly. 

“We saw that the magic needed to awaken those dolls was a lot.” Byleth murmurs and grabs a discarded sword, throwing it straight at a soldier’s back that was trying to attack Ferdinand from the sidelines. 

“Thank you Professor!” Ferdinand says and moves forward, his lance piercing through a soldier’s gut cleanly. 

Even though he was already familiar with battle, blood and war, the feeling of his lance going through a person’s body still made him shiver. 

“I hope that feeling continues for as long as I live.” he whispers and notices a dark mage making it out of the castle and pointing his hands at Edelgard, who was quarrying three soldiers on her own. 

_ She truly is magnificent to watch…  _ he thinks and then changes the grip on his lance, making sure that the distance between the dark mage and him was enough for his throw to make a clean kill. 

“You’re wide open!” he yells and notices the dark mage looking at him as he throws his lance, already too late to stop it from piercing his stomach.

“Thank you!” Edelgard says to him as she kills a woman who had gotten too close and overestimated her reach. 

Yet she was having some trouble with one of the soldiers, who had a big armor that was stopping her sword from making any damage. And, as much as she disliked to admit that she needed help, she found herself guiding the soldier closer to Byleth and Dorothea, who had noticed her and were now rushing towards her. 

Stepping out of the way, Edelgard sees the two women throw their own magic attacks at the soldier, his big armor not capable of withstanding that type of damage. 

“Thank you.” Edelgard tells them and the three women take a moment to look at their surroundings. 

“It seems like things are going smoothly.” Byleth says. “The moment Hubert, Lysithea and Linhardt are done with their counterspell, a couple of us should go inside the castle to destroy the dolls while the rest keep distracting the guards and dark mages that should arrive once they’re done with their spell.” 

Edelgard nods in agreement and looks up when a big explosion goes off on the left side of the castle. 

“The dolls.” Dorothea murmurs and they watch Lysithea, Hubert and Linhardt open their eyes and walk towards them. 

“The counterspell worked. Though we weren’t able to stop all the dolls from awakening, only four were activated.” Hubert says apologetically. 

“You three did wonderfully.” Edelgard praises them. “And I know that my Strike Force is capable of stopping those dolls from causing damage to our main force.” she says confidently. “Right now, my priority is to destroy Cornelia’s lab and the remaining dolls.” 

Hubert nods in agreement. 

“I want you to take Caspar, Ferdinand, Petra and Linhardt with you to join our troops in fighting the dolls and remaining Kingdom army. Byleth, Dorothea, Lysithea and I will head to the laboratory and destroy the remaining dolls.” 

“Understood.” Hubert bows and rushes with their strongest fighters to the main gate. 

“I will need all the magic you have to make sure we can blow the lab up.” Edelgard shows them a belt filled with explosives. “With these aiding us, that shouldn’t be difficult at all.” 

“Cornelia will expect us to do this after she realized most of the dolls didn’t activate.” Byleth warns Edelgard. “She will probably be there protecting the lab and the dolls.” 

“Which is precisely what we wanted, isn’t it?” the Emperor smiles. “For Cornelia to show herself to us.” 

* * *

_ That conniving and disrespectful child!  _ Cornelia thought bitterly as she sent her dark mages out to fight with the soldiers that had to be inside the fortress. 

_ Preventing me from awakening my dolls!  _

After she had gotten the news from Rodrigue that the Emperor herself had arrived at the city’s borders, Cornelia had been momentarily surprised. At first she had thought that this was all part of Thales’ plan to bring her and the Titanus into the Empire. With Edelgard invading Arianrhod, she could easily swear her allegiance to the Emperor while making sure the Kingdom suffered heavy losses during the battle. 

It was, as Thales’ plans tended to go, a very good way to confuse the enemy and make sure their true interests were kept in the shadows. 

Yet, when she summoned her dark mages to the lab and told them to activate the dolls, Cornelia felt a counterspell activate within the city itself. And, while at first she hadn’t expected it to amount to much, she was shocked when her dark mages were unable to start most of the Titanus. 

Somehow, the Emperor had been able to stop her ancient spell. 

Which was something that immediately made Cornelia realize how naïve and foolish they had been when it came to the young woman and her ambitions. In fact, once Cornelia grasped that the Emperor had been working behind the scenes to find spells that could counter their technology; that’s when she understood the Emperor’s true reasons for invading Arianrhod and attacking the fortress the way she did. 

“She wants to destroy the dolls and the lab.” Cornelia had said with a bitter smile. “To make sure that Thales can’t use them for our upcoming war with her.” she chuckles. “Clever girl.” 

Knowing that Thales had to be the one that gave the Emperor the maps and schematics of Arianrhod, Cornelia couldn’t help but laugh at the irony of the moment. 

_ It seems that your trapped bird is breaking out of its cage without you realizing it,  _ Cornelia thinks as an explosion sounds outside of the castle. 

_ A bird that has been silently preparing and waiting for the right opportunity to strike back at them.  _

“An opportunity which is now.” she murmurs as she hears someone breaking the door behind her, the smoke clearing out quickly and letting her see the familiar white hair and purple eyes of Emperor Edelgard. 

“Well what do you know?” Cornelia teases her as she tries to think of the best way to stop the woman from moving forward. “It seems like you’ve been able to deceive Lord Rodrigue and most of the Kingdom generals’ into making them think that you were leading the Imperial main force.” she chuckles. “Yet here you are, standing in front of me, Emperor Edelgard. Alone, surprisingly and not very wisely.” 

"I'm not alone." the Emperor promises. "Then again, you are probably responsible for the pests that got in our way as we were heading down here." 

Cornelia chuckles and moves backwards, knowing the Emperor was watching her every move. 

"Then how about we talk for a moment while we wait for your backup to arrive." the mage smirks. 

“I would prefer to finish this once and for all.” Edelgard says firmly and takes her axe out. “The moment I kill you, this battle will be over.” 

“You underestimate me, little Emperor.” Cornelia smiles darkly. “Something that will cost you dearly!” she yells as she throws an attack at Edelgard, who dodges by moving sideways.

“I’m not surprised to see you’re  _ his  _ mole within Arianrhod.” Edelgard adds as she gets close enough to use her weapon against the mage, who takes out her sword and parries against her. 

“Surely you’ve already suspected so for a while now.” Cornelia smirks. “In fact, you were most likely just waiting for the right opportunity to make your move. An opportunity that Thales himself gave you when he handed you the maps he ordered me to procure for him.” she smirks. “We clearly overestimated the influence he has over you.” 

“He has  _ no  _ influence over me. Not anymore.” Edelgard tells her strongly but because of the woman's taunt she gets distracted, which is enough for Cornelia to push her away. 

“Indeed.” the older mage agrees. “If he did you wouldn’t be here intent on destroying our weapons and research. Nor would you be so determined to kill me.” she says and fires a fireball at Edelgard, who had grabbed a dagger that she tried to throw at her while she was talking. “Dirty fighting, I’m surprised you’re capable of something like that.” 

“If it means making sure you don’t leave this room, then I’m capable of almost anything.” Edelgard says somberly. 

This statement makes Cornelia stop for a moment, the cockiness and confidence the woman in front of her was showing her irritating her. 

_ Just who does she think this child is talking to?!  _

"I really don’t like the tone you’re using when addressing me.” Cornelia tells her. “And I know we have plans for you." she adds darkly. "But I'm confident that Thales will forgive me for what I'm about to do." she murmurs a spell and Edelgard finds herself trapped by two dark hands. 

"What is this?!" 

"A spell of my own creation. Similar to Hades but stronger and more lethal. Not many mages are able to use it without losing their mind." she chuckles and slaps Edelgard once. "Now then, how should I punish you for what you tried to do without incurring Thales' wrath?" she smirks. 

"I'm too valuable for him. If you do something to me, he will kill you." Edelgard spits out. 

"Indeed. So instead of that, I'll do what I know best and tell you  _ all I  _ know about a certain incident many believe  _ you  _ were involved in." Cornelia pauses for dramatic effect. “Tell me, who do you think was the one that introduced your uncle to King Lambert, which allowed the two of you safe passage into Fhirdiad during the Insurrection of the Seven?” 

“How do you know about that?” 

Cornelia smirks. 

"When I lived in the Empire, I became fast friends with this young woman who had just gotten a better standing within the Adrestian nobility because of her marriage into a powerful family. As you probably know, most nobles don’t take it well when new families join their fold. Hence, she felt lonely and isolated.” 

Edelgard remains quiet, wanting to see where Cornelia went with this story. 

“One of the things she always told me when we met was how much she loved her daughter. How proud she was of the girl and how beautiful she was growing up to be. But, as you’re probably also aware, it isn’t strange for Adrestian noblemen to have more than one wife to protect the family lineage. So when a new consort was brought into the house, she wasn't allowed to see her daughter as much as she wished. It only took a couple of tea visits for me to find out that her name was Anselma von Arundel, former consort of King Ionius IX." 

"Mother…" Edelgard whispers. 

"When the Insurrection of the Seven took place, I was already living in Fhirdiad under the patronage of King Lambert, who had hired my services years earlier. So you can imagine my surprise when Anselma suddenly got in touch with me and asked me for safe passage into Fhirdiad. What was also surprising was how quickly she charmed King Lambert himself and made him fall in love with her." 

Edelgard remains silent.

"And while Anselma was safe and had the love of the King and her step-son, whom you surely know…” Cornelia chuckles darkly. “She missed her Edelgard so much that she was willing to do  _ anything  _ if it meant she could see her again."

"What did you make her do, you monster?!" the Emperor screams bitterly. 

"It wasn’t easy to make her think that the King and her step-son were hiding you away from her. At first she didn’t want to believe me, but it helped that your uncle and you happened to be here at Fhirdiad that whole time and that Anselma never found out until you two were already gone. After that, it became easier to make Anselma believe that the King was keeping her hidden and locked away from everyone to make sure only he could have her. And while that was the truth, the reality was that it would have been too dangerous for Anselma to be known as the King’s consort because of the political repercussions of her connections to the Empire. Yet that's not what I, her closest friend and confidant, told her. Lost, alone and betrayed; it didn’t take very long for Anselma to hate the King and Prince and blame them for her life in Fhirdiad. That hatred she had was enough for her to sell them out during the Tragedy of Duscur." 

"You manipulated and used her." Edelgard says bitterly. "You took advantage of a bad situation and made it favor Thales and you." 

“Which is what I do best.” Cornelia smirks. “And is what I intend on doing to you until Thales arrives and we can decide how to remind you  _ we _ are the ones truly in charge.” she smiles. “Who knows, maybe I’ll be able to get myself another puppet to manipulate to my whims.” 

This statement immediately makes Edelgard focus on the mage, who had realized her slip of the tongue. 

_ It can’t be?  _ Edelgard thinks as she puts together everything Cornelia had just told her. 

_ Then again, it would all make sense and would explain so many things…  _

“It has to be.” Edelgard says firmly and just waits for what’s coming next. 

“What has to be?” the mage asks her and gets angrier when Edelgard doesn’t answer her. “You insolent child. I will make sure that by the time you leave this dungeon you’ll know to respect and fear your masters.” 

“Emperor Edelgard has no masters.” the two women hear a firm voice say and turn around to see Byleth, Dorothea and Lysithea standing at the entrance of the lab. 

“Apologies for being late, Edie.” Dorothea adds and Cornelia watches in surprise how Edelgard releases herself from her spell and moves back to where the three other women were. 

“You tricked me. You pretended you were captured by my spell so I would tell you what I knew!” Cornelia cackles. “You clever, conniving snake.” 

“I think you should watch the way you address the Emperor, witch.” the older woman is shocked to see that the bluenette had gotten behind her and was holding her sword right at her neck. 

_ How? How did she get so close to her so quickly?!  _

Cornelia smiles, knowing that she had underestimated the Emperor and was now going to pay the price for her mistake. 

“If you kill me, he will know it was you.” Cornelia taunts the Emperor. “And the moment he knows, neither your friends nor you will be safe from his wrath.” 

“You are right.” Edelgard tells her confidently. “If I kill you, Thales will immediately suspect I did it. And while I plan on revealing my true intentions to him and all his followers, right now is not the time to do so.” she finishes as she looks at Lysithea, Byleth and Dorothea, who start firing fireballs at the lab and the many items within it. 

“As I was saying, you won’t die by our hands.” the Emperor adds firmly as she takes her belt out and grabs some pouches from it. “No, it would be too obvious if we did it that way.” she smiles darkly, which frightens Cornelia. “Is everything in place?” she asks Byleth, Lysithea and Dorothea, who nod. 

“Wait! You can’t do this! I have information! I’m too valuable for you to consider getting rid of!” Cornelia smirks. 

“Not to me.” Edelgard responds bitterly. “Besides, you already gave me more than what I needed. The rest, I’m confident I’ll be able to find it from someone else.” 

“That’s what you think, Edelgard.” the older woman smiles darkly. “But…”

“But nothing.” Edelgard interrupts her as she gets close to her. “You Cornelia, were sold out. And, because of all the lies and treachery you did to the people around you, you’re going to pay.” the Emperor tells her darkly as she takes her sword out. “This is for my mother.” she hits Cornelia on the head with the hilt of the sword, the blow incapacitating the woman and making her faint. 

The moment that’s done, Byleth, Lysithea and Edelgard move to the back of the room while Dorothea stays to keep watch, all making sure to grab anything that seems beneficial to their own research while burning and destroying anything else. 

“We need to hurry.” Edelgard tells them as they finish placing the explosives around the dolls. “The longer we are here, the longer our army needs to fight.” 

“It is done.” Byleth says simply and watches Lysithea, Dorothea and Edelgard step away from the room into the entrance, the Emperor stopping and giving Cornelia one last look. 

“Let this be your welcoming into the pits of hell.” Edelgard states and uses her own magic to conjure a fireball, igniting all the other spells and explosives that had been placed inside the lab.

The moment they hear the first explosion go off, they know that the explosives Linhardt had created worked. 

“Come on, we have to go now!” Dorothea reminds them and they all rush out of the castle, thankfully being able to make a hole in one of the walls that were more vulnerable with one of Lysithea’s attacks. 

And, as the four women rush to the gardens, all of them can hear the screams and wails coming from within the castle’s laboratory as Arianrhod starts collapsing on itself and falling to the ground; it showcasing to all the soldiers fighting outside the fortress’ walls that this was the end of the Silver Maiden. 

The Battle of Arianrhod was over. 


	24. Interlude: A Man’s Revenge, A Diary and Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following their victory at Arianrhod, Edelgard wonders what Dimitri will do next. Meanwhile, we get a look at how TWSITD are preparing for their upcoming war against the Empire as well as a discovery of sorts made back at Fhirdiad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We've reached the first interlude in Castle of the Crimson Flower! I will be going on vacation this saturday, so next update will be next Sunday or Monday. Until then, I hope you enjoy this story and let me know what you all think about it :) 
> 
> Thank you so much for the support as always :)

_Fhirdiad, Capital of the Kingdom of Faerghus_

After watching Dimitri storm out of the room following the news of Edelgard’s invasion, Ingrid chose to stay at the war meeting for a little longer. Which was something that she immediately regretted when she realized that the Kingdom’s generals were completely lost. Instead of thinking of ways to give aid to Arianrhod, they were laying out half-thought plans in which they magically hoped for their army to win. It got to the point where Ingrid had enough and found herself leaving the room as well. 

Then again, she couldn’t blame the generals for their inability to lead the army when the Kingdom itself was in shambles. The main reason they were unable to offer any aid to Arianrhod was because the troops were scattered all around Faerghus due to Dimitri’s orders and his War Council’s foolish belief that the dolls Cornelia had at the fortress would be enough to stop Edelgard and the Strike Force. 

_Foolish men,_ Ingrid had thought as she made her way back to the library, hoping to find Annette still there. 

The blonde knight knew the Emperor better than that. The fact that Edelgard had already launched her attack on Arianrhod meant that she was ready to invade Fhirdiad. When the two of them had discussed Edelgard’s plan years ago, Ingrid had been upset at the news of her homeland getting invaded. And while she understood the reasons why Edelgard needed to do so, mainly to prevent the Church from escaping and receiving further aid, that didn’t mean she had to like it. 

Now, now she found herself not disliking the idea at all. 

Although it had been months since Edelgard and her last spoke, Ingrid knew that the Emperor would not change her plans without letting her know about it beforehand. So, by taking Arianrhod, Edelgard was pushing her way into Fhirdiad. All to stop the Kingdom from sending aid to the Church when the Empire invaded Garreg Mach following their occupation of Faerghus. That, plus a possible alliance with Claude at Deirdrui, would ensure that the Archbishop didn’t have any place to run or hide. 

The only option left for her would be to fight Edelgard straight on. 

“Which is exactly what she wants.” Ingrid whispers to herself, noticing that the door to the royal library was open. 

Carefully making her way in, she quickly notices that Annette is no longer here, a big pile of books spread around the work table the only sign that the mage had even been in the room. 

“That Annette, always forgetting to return things back to their place.” the blonde knight groans as she grabs the books and moves to put them where they belong. 

Chuckling at the familiarity of her actions, Ingrid takes a moment to center herself. To remember the carefree days in which her biggest concern was to ignore her father’s letters and get better at using her lance. 

“Those concerns seem so foolish now.” she smiles, the nostalgia of their time at Garreg Mach making her suddenly feel melancholic. 

“We were all so naive and hopeful.” she says as the clear image of a young man with short blond hair and blue eyes appears clearly to her. “Specially you, Dimitri.” 

“Ingrid!” she hears and turns around to find Annette making her way towards her. “What are you doing here? I thought you were going to attend the War Council meeting.” 

“And I did.” she tells her seriously. “It ended badly when a messenger arrived and told Dimitri that the Emperor had her army outside Arianrhod.” 

The news made Annette open her eyes in shock. 

“And because we don’t have any troops near the fortress, there’s no way we can offer them any type of aid.” Ingrid adds.

“And do you think that the Emperor has a chance of winning the battle with our forces using those special dolls of Cornelia?” Annette asks her seriously. 

“If Edelgard is still the same young woman I met at Garreg Mach, then I don’t think she would attack us without expecting to win the battle.” 

Annette nods in agreement. 

“If she wins then that would put her closer to Fhirdiad and Dimitri.” the young mage says. “Giving us less time to stop the upcoming massacre.” 

Ingrid nods. 

“Then it’s a good thing I already found something that could give us a clue into what happened all those years ago.” Annette tells her with a smile as she takes out a piece of paper and gives it to Ingrid, who immediately grabs and reads it. 

**_Lady Patricia is surprisingly traveling with us. While we hadn’t expected her to leave her room, since those were His Majesty’s orders, it seems as though she was able to persuade His Majesty into joining the Prince and him on their travels. That will surely make her feel better._ **

“This is an entry one of the castle maids made before King Lambert and his escorts traveled to Duscur. While I at first didn’t think much of it and just assumed it was a note left to the Head Maid, when I went back to check the castle’s guest registry of that year, I couldn’t find anyone with the name of Lady Patricia.” 

This surprises Ingrid, who knew how careful the castle staff was about keeping that type of information updated. 

So if this woman wasn’t on the castle’s guest registry and the castle staff was aware of her presence… 

“Was her stay kept a secret from the general population and other castle guests?” 

Annette nods. 

“That’s what I suspect. Between the time the entry was made and the day Faerghus’ delegation left for Duscur, there were a couple of events at the castle and in none of them is Lady Patricia mentioned. Which is strange because if she’s a guest, wouldn’t she be attending those events as well?” 

“You’re right. But unless we can talk to the person that wrote this note, there’s no way we can know who this Lady Patricia is.” 

“I discovered that the maid that wrote this note passed away a couple of years ago.” Annette tells her sadly. “But, I did find an address for her daughter, who I went to visit. And, after I briefly explained to her that I needed to corroborate some information her mother wrote on one of the castle logs; she gave me her mother’s diary of that year.” she smiles as she shows her said diary. “I’m hoping to find more details about Lady Patricia here.” 

“That’s amazing! Good job Annette!” Ingrid smiles and hugs her friend tight, surprising both of them at her excitement and show of affection.

“Thank you.” Annette blushes. “Hopefully this will give us the answers we seek.” 

“There’s only one way to find out.” Ingrid gives her a soft smile as she takes a seat in the same chair she was using earlier. “And this time I plan on staying and helping you.” 

Annette smiles, going ahead and taking a seat as well. 

They both had a diary to read now.

* * *

_Arianrhod, west of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus_

Following the collapse of Arianrhod’s castle, it didn’t take long for the Kingdom’s army to surrender. Not only had they suffered massive losses because of their lack of preparation and the Empire’s ruthless strategy to divide the troops into sections and then attack them at once-- But when the Kingdom’s soldiers watched the dolls their King had claimed would lead them to victory collapse and be destroyed by the Strike Force; they knew that they weren’t fighting against ordinary humans and surrendered.

Although Edelgard had wished to capture and speak to Lord Rodrigue, her scouts told her that the man had escaped to Fhirdiad once he realized the battle would be lost. Scoffing, but at the same time realizing that this was the best thing he could do for Dimitri, Edelgard couldn’t stop herself from admiring the man’s loyalty. 

For she couldn’t imagine the shame he must have felt at having to abandon his troops and leave them to their possible death. 

Regardless, the battle was over and Arianrhod was hers. News of her victory would be spread out across all of Fodlan with possible allies and enemies preparing for what she would do next. 

Looking at her and expecting her to fall. 

Edelgard was determined to not let that happen. Not now when she was one step closer to the Church and the Archbishop. 

One step closer to Those Who Slither in the Dark. 

Still, there was also the fact that she had to think and ponder on what Cornelia had revealed to her: Of her mother’s involvement in the Tragedy of Duscur and the connection Dimitri and her had due to the union between her mother and King Lambert. 

A connection that Thales had to be aware of as well. 

“Of course things would only get even more complicated.” she murmurs, not knowing what to do with this new information that was revealed to her. 

For now, it was best to keep it to herself. 

“Your Majesty.” she hears Hubert’s voice call out to her and this makes her refocus on the man standing in front of her. “My apologies for interrupting you.” 

“Don’t worry Hubert. I was just thinking about silly things.” she smiles encouragely at him. “What news do you have about the troops as well as the state of the city?” 

“Apart from the collapse of the castle, the rest of the city remains and the citizens were not hurt since the battle took place outside the main gates and within the castle gardens.” Hubert informs her. “Our troops suffered losses but none too heavy and all of our main generals remain safe and healthy.” 

“Good.” Edelgard smiles. “What about the Strike Force?” 

“A little exhausted from battling the dolls that didn’t collapse with the counterspell but none are injured. Most of them are looking forward to what’s coming next as well as news from Fhirdiad.” 

Edelgard nods, also wondering the same thing. It wouldn’t take long for Lord Rodrigue to return to the capital and inform Dimitri about the battle. 

Meaning that it wouldn’t be long until Dimitri either launched an offensive against them or waited to meet them in battle at Fhirdiad. 

Those two options were the ones that Edelgard had planned for and she needed to make sure that Dimitri did exactly what she wanted him to do. 

“It's all going according to plan. As much as Dimitri wants to launch a counterattack against us, he would need to bring together all of his scattered troops and make them march back to the capital. And based on our calculations and reports made by our scouts, by the time their troops are all there, our own will have advanced further into Faerghus’ territory.” 

Hubert nods, stopping and turning around when he senses someone entering the tent. 

“Oh I’m sorry!” Byleth apologizes as she watches the dark mage and Edelgard relax. “I just finished scouting the debris around the castle.” she smiles at the two of them. “But I can come back later if you’re not done.” 

“Nonsense. Besides, I wish for Hubert to know if you found anything that the Agarthans could find salvageable. The moment it turns dark, that will be the moment they’ll come out and grab what they can.” 

“I made sure to destroy the parts from the dolls that Linhardt told me were still usable. And, any type of maps and books that Cornelia had at her lab were burned in the fire.” 

“And Cornelia?” Edelgard asks her simply. 

“Nothing that could make them suspect of our involvement in her passing. From the looks of it, it’s like the castle collapsed on her and she didn’t have time to make it out. I heard many soldiers say that she got trapped because she was trying to salvage what she could from the laboratory.” Byleth tells her simply, confirming to them that the rumors they had started about Cornelia’s death were being spread out around the camp. 

Meaning that these same rumors would be told to Thales by his spies later on. 

“How unfortunate.” Hubert smirks and stops his next sentence, focusing on the door that led outside. “Your Majesty, _he_ is here.” he tells her simply and Byleth and Edelgard immediately know who it is the dark mage is talking about. 

Thales was here. 

“Like we expected him to be.” Edelgard says as she looks at Byleth. “If you wish you can step outside.” 

“Not a chance.” Byleth says firmly as she moves to stand behind Edelgard, her sword and magic ready if anything happened. 

Edelgard gives her a grateful smile, turning back to the door as Hubert allows Lord Arundel to step right in. 

“Your Majesty.” Arundel says as he bows once and then stands. “Congratulations on your immaculate victory. Many nobles will tell tales of this day to their children: The day the Empire recovered Arianrhod finally a reality.” 

“Uncle. I’m surprised to see you here. Not that your presence is unwelcome, of course.” 

“I was able to stop by after I finished speaking to some nobles at the border. And, what a pleasant surprise it has been to see our Emperor successfully show the Kingdom our power and strength.” the older man says with a smile but then turns serious. “Though it’s also quite unfortunate to see that Cornelia did not survive. She was going to rebel and join our side.” 

“Was she?” Edelgard asks seriously. “The only time I saw her during the battle, she went ahead and launched her dolls against us and then retreated to the castle. After that, it seems like an explosion made the castle collapse on itself, Cornelia caught in said explosion herself.” 

“Really?” Arundel asks her tersely. “And you had nothing to do with said explosion? It did seem that accelerants were used to start it.” 

_“So it seems like he already asked his spies questions about the incident.”_ Sothis says tersely as Byleth watches the discussion. 

_“It would be foolish for him to not do so.”_ the mercenary agrees with her. _“That doesn’t mean he can get away with treating Edelgard so rudely.”_

“And what if they were?” Byleth intervenes and this gets Arundel's attention. “When we saw the dolls the mage used, it was determined to try to bring them down with accelerants as well as magic. Perhaps some of the soldiers didn’t aim right and the damage was too much for the castle to withstand.” 

“Perhaps.” Arundel agrees as he stares at Edelgard. “But still, it hurts our cause to lose a mage like Cornelia when it could have been avoided.” he then focuses on Byleth. “And, it also wouldn’t hurt for you to learn manners, mercenary.” 

Byleth is ready to respond but stops herself when Edelgard raises her hand, the Emperor turning around and winking at her once before addressing Thales. 

“Cornelia was a coward that hid at her castle and sent her troops to fight her battles. If she died because of that, then that’s only her fault.” Edelgard says firmly, noticing that even Arundel couldn’t disagree with something like that. “And Byleth was just being honest, uncle. Surely the life of the Empire’s best soldiers and assets is more important than the ones of the dolls, right?” she asks him and knows the Agarthan can sense the irony in her statement. “Regardless, this is a moot topic since it seems like the technology Cornelia used for the dolls was also lost during the fire and castle collapse.” 

“Very unfortunate.” Arundel murmurs. “Those dolls could have aided the Empire well.” 

“Those dolls were brought down by brave Empire soldiers. And, I refuse to make the same mistakes my enemies did. Because the Kingdom and King Dimitri relied on the dolls and strange technology, they lost.” Edelgard tells him firmly. 

_And I won,_ is left unsaid but everyone in that room could feel Edelgard saying. 

“Indeed.” Arundel smiles, standing up and making his way out. “Which is great news for our cause and the future of the Empire. Believe me when I tell you that I’m looking forward to learning of our next victory after we take Fhirdiad and all of Faerghus.” he finishes and leaves the tent, the nervousness and distrust the three Black Eagles had felt around the man very obvious. 

“It seems like he bought it.” Byleth says after a moment of silence. 

“He suspects our involvement.” Edelgard murmurs. “But he can’t confirm it. Which only frustrates him more.” 

“Precisely what we wanted.” Hubert agrees with her. 

“Because it will make him get sloppier and more desperate.” the Emperor finishes with a determined look. 

Things were going according to plan. 

* * *

_Somewhere in The Easternmost Mountains of Hrym_

Walking around Shambhala, Solon can’t help but reminisce about the days when this was the only place he knew. The technological, albeit artificial, place was hidden from everyone’s eyes. 

And so was their existence. 

Having grown up in the shadows, Solon had always longed for the fresh air and freedom of living outside. Their skin, which was white and pale as snow, already gave away that they were different from the humans that lived above them. 

The Agarthans were stronger, smarter and better. 

So why was it that _they_ had to be the ones that lived in the shadows while the weaker humans were able to relax and live carelessly? 

_Because of the Nabateans._

Those cursed beasts that had taken them from the light and forced them to hide in the shadows. The same ones that had persecuted his ancestors to the brink of extinction because of fear and jealousy. 

All of them led by Seiros, who was now the sole ruler of Fodlan thanks to her position as Archbishop of the heretic church.

 _Disgusting._

The moment Solon had learned about the Agarthans’ fall from grace, he had sworn to himself that he would make things change. That he would somehow find the way to make the Agarthans return to their true home and bring down the deceiving Nabateans and the despicable humans that supported them. 

_No matter how long it took him nor what means he had to use to ensure their victory._

And yet before he even got started, someone else stepped up. Thales, a man who, before his declarations and plans of glory and prosperity, hadn’t been known at all. A man who had shown up with big unrealistic plans that seemed too good to be true. Plans in which not only did they make the Church pay for what they did to their ancestors, but also placed the Agarthans as the rulers of Fodlan. 

In their rightful place. 

And now, after years of hiding, planning and deceiving; they were finally close to getting their revenge on the foolish Nabateans and the humans that had sided with them. 

It was just a matter of time. 

Smirking, Solon can’t help but revel in the fear and adoration he can see in the Agarthans’ eyes when he walks past them. How they all believed in Thales and him and what they had done for them. How they were all willing to do anything the two of them asked as long as it meant their freedom from this prison and a new life above ground. 

It was all too perfect to be true. 

_Now all we need to wait for is the news of the fall of Arianrhod. Once that happens, our revenge will have truly begun._

It had been days since Thales had left Shambhala, his intention of keeping a close eye on the Emperor and her personal guard one of his main goals for his outing. And while Solon knew that the Emperor posed no real threat to them, and that she could be replaced in the worst case scenario-- the fact that they hadn’t been able to find much information about her personal guard concerned him. 

Just who was this woman and how had she been able to stay under their radar for so long? 

Groaning, the old mage can’t help but get annoyed at the situation the silly girl had put them in. Just who did she think she was? If not for them and their experiments, she wouldn’t be as strong as she is now. She wouldn’t be the Emperor that fooled the masses and made them believe she was the true mastermind behind the reunification of Fodlan. 

She would just be another useless princess destined for marriage and children. 

_Not that they had to worry about her for much longer,_ he thinks, remembering how short the lifespan of their earlier subjects had been. 

A short lifespan that was the inevitable result of bearing two crests. 

“No matter how much she complains and tries to fight us.” Solon murmurs to himself. “The reality is that there’s nothing much Edelgard can do to change things.” 

At the end of the day, she was just another one of their pawns. 

Chuckling, Solon opens the door to his laboratory, smiling at the sight of the many humans Kronya had been able to obtain for his next batch of experiments. Although the woman was annoying to be with, he couldn’t deny that she was truly talented at acquiring test subjects for him. 

And he would always need silly humans to test his inventions on. 

“Now then.” he smiles at the terrified men, women and children in front of him. “Welcome to Shambhala. Unfortunately for you, this will be the last place you’ll ever see. Fortunately for us, your sacrifice will be our path to freedom.” 


	25. Repercussions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After stopping the Agarthans from recovering anything usable from Cornelia's laboratory, Byleth worries that the closer they get to Garreg Mach, the closer they get to her past. Claude, meanwhile, already knows that he has to prepare for Leicester to get involved in the war.   
> Back at Fhirdiad, Ingrid and Annette make some big discoveries.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am back from my vacation and back with a new chapter! This one is long, which I think is good? Hahaha, hope you all enjoy it and thank you so much for helping COTCF have 454 kudos! Your support means the world :)

_ Derdriu, Capital of the Leicester Alliance _

Although many thought that Claude was a man who found pleasure in chaos, the truth was the complete opposite: While he enjoyed mischief and pranks, he was also cautious of making sure things wouldn’t get out of his control. 

Which was what he had tried to do when the war first broke out. 

Perhaps it was foolish to believe that he would be able to keep Leicester away from the war. After all, many of the alliance nobles were desperate to take part of it so they could get more lands and goods as spoils of war. 

All to undermine him and his position as the leader of the Alliance Roundtable. 

Regardless, Claude knew that as much as they wished to get involved, they would need to first choose a side: The Kingdom of Faerghus or the Adrestian Empire. And, that the repercussions of choosing the wrong side would mean for them the loss of their status as nobles and all their lands. 

Hence, nothing had been officially done to undermine Claude’s proclamation of neutrality. Still, from what Hilda’s spies had reported to them, many of the alliance nobles were communicating with noble families from the Empire and the Kingdom. 

_ Then again, so am I, right?,  _ he chuckles as he remembers his meeting with Edelgard and her entourage on Sauin. 

He won’t lie and say that what Edelgard had told him hadn’t shocked him. In fact, when it was discovered that his house wasn’t clean, he immediately sent Hilda to quietly dispatch the spies, hoping that the enemy wouldn’t realize that he was aware of the spies’ presence in his home. 

The next thing he did was talk to Leonie about Byleth, Edelgard’s personal guard and apparently daughter of one of the Church’s most important knights. From what her friend had told him, Jeralt Eisner had really believed that his daughter was dead. And, that the last time Leonie saw him, he hadn’t said or acted in any way that would have made her think that he was hiding something. 

And, based on what Byleth had said that day, she had been told a similar thing, only it was her family the one that was dead. 

_ Meaning that the two were told the same lie. _

_ Just, who was it that did the lying?  _ Claude had wondered since then, trying to find as much as he could about Byleth’s life as a mercenary to try to connect her to the places Jeralt had been at before his demise. 

Not surprisingly, he had found very few answers. The only thing that people seemed to know about Byleth was her reputation as a cold and ruthless mercenary known as the Ashen Demon. A killing machine, some had called her according to Hilda. And while Claude didn’t like to judge people based on rumors, he couldn’t deny that when Byleth fought alongside him, he could sense a frightening power lingering within her. 

A power that Edelgard now possessed. 

Speaking of Edelgard, he was now just waiting to hear back about her attack on Ariarnhod. In fact, he knew he wasn’t the only one on the lookout of the battle’s outcome. If Edelgard won this battle, then it would put the Empire above Faerghus in terms of favorites. Then again, they were talking about Dimitri; and any who underestimated his ambition and determination to destroy Edelgard were fools. 

“And to think that two years ago the three of us were fighting bandits together.” Claude reminisces with a sad smile. 

Then again, can he blame Edelgard for wanting to change things? For wanting to hold the church accountable and to stop faceless strangers in the shadows from making decisions for all of Fodlan? 

“I can’t really, can I?” he murmurs and goes to stand in front of his map of Fodlan, where the position of all his troops as well as the known locations of the armies of the Empire and Kingdom were at. 

“War for Leicester is inevitable now.” he says softly and hears a knock on the door, watching Hilda and Lorenz come in and pour themselves a drink. “Thank you both for coming to see me.” 

“Can’t really say no to Lord Riegan, can I?” Lorenz smirks, knowing his friend would understand his teasing. “Especially if it’s Hilda the one carrying the orders.” 

Claude chuckles. 

“You are a smart man, Lorenz.” he smiles. “And it really is great to see you. I hope your father has not been pressuring you too much.” 

“Not really.” Lorenz tells him calmly. “As you are well aware, my father has very close ties to the Empire and is patiently waiting until the results from the Battle of Arianrhod to announce his alliance with Emperor Edelgard.” 

“So Gloucester is going to move ahead with their plans if Edelgard is victorious.” Claude murmurs. “I suspect other noble families will follow your father’s example and make their own announcements.” 

Hilda and Lorenz nod. 

“You can’t really blame them when you will be doing the same Claude.” Hilda smiles at him and gives him an extra drink she had poured for him. “Besides, we’ll be the first ones to learn the results of the battle thanks to our spies stationed there.” 

“Wonderful.” he says calmly. “But we know already who will win that battle. If Edelgard acted like I suspected, she took advantage of the Kingdom’s troops being scattered all across Faerghus and launched an offensive against the fortress to infiltrate and seize it from the inside. At least that’s what I would have done.” 

“Then if you already suspect that the Emperor won the battle, I’m assuming there’s a specific reason for my presence here.” Lorenz tells him knowingly. 

“The moment that battle is done, the Alliance will have to involve itself in the war. And, I want to make sure that our involvement does not hindrance our future once the church is out of the picture.” 

“You mean you want to ensure that Edelgard does not become ruler of all Fodlan and that she won’t attack us after the church is taken care of.” Hilda clarifies. 

Claude nods. 

“The best way to do so is for us to negotiate and sign a treaty. With that supporting our alliance, we will be able to peacefully part ways and return to our territories once the war is over. Right now the document does not need to list what will happen to the obtained territories during the war, but it does need to clarify that the Alliance will keep its independence and territories.” 

Lorenz and Hilda nod in agreement. 

“And that’s why I need you, Lorenz, to go to Arianrhod to negotiate these terms for me. The longer I keep the illusion that House Riegan and Leicester are remaining neutral, the longer we have to prepare our borders in case the Church chooses to attack us to prevent the Empire from getting close to Garreg Mach.” 

“I had not considered the Church reacting that way.” Lorenz admits to him. “But if what you told us about Archbishop Rhea and her true self is true; then she can certainly claim we are sinners and the Goddess has passed judgement on us.” he says worriedly. 

“I wouldn’t put anything past her.” Hilda adds as she finishes her drink. “And while Edelgard also shares borders with Garreg Mach, the Knights of Seiros will probably send reinforcements to Fhirdiad to make sure the Empire doesn’t take the capital of Faerghus.” 

“That would be the most logical move Rhea can do.” Claude agrees with her and looks at Lorenz. “That’s why I’m sending Raphael and you to Arianrhod to meet with Edelgard on my behalf.” 

“Because my father will probably send me as well to negotiate the terms.” Lorenz smirks. “You really are a conniving snake.” he laughs. “Very well, I will do this for you.” 

“I appreciate it.” Claude chuckles but stops when he hears a pattern of knocks coming from the main door. 

“That must be the spy.” Hilda says as she steps towards the door and barely opens it, listening for a couple of seconds before nodding and closing it again. 

“So?” Claude asks her. 

“The Empire has taken the Silver Maiden.” Hilda tells him simply. “Like you suspected, the Kingdom was outmaneuvered by the Empire’s army and it was confirmed that the Kingdom’s lead mage, Cornelia, was killed during the battle.” 

This makes Claude look up from his maps, interested by this development. 

“What about Lord Rodrigue?” he asks. 

“Escaped back to Fhirdiad.” 

“The shame of abandoning his men on the battlefield to die.” Lorenz says bitterly. 

“He had to. If not, then no one could have given Dimitri an account of the battle and the strategies Edelgard used. While it was cowardly, it was the best thing he could have done for his King.” Claude explains to him. “Regardless, this result will bring out of Dimitri a side we yet haven’t seen.” 

“What do you mean?” Hilda asks him confused. 

“Although he just lost Arianrhod...” he explains to her. “For the first time since the war started, Edelgard is just a couple of miles away from him. Finally within grasp.” 

“You mean…” Lorenz opens his eyes in shock. 

“I don’t think Dimitri will dislike the results of this battle too much.” he says darkly. “Not if it brought Edelgard closer to him.” he stares at Lorenz. “Leave for Arianrhod at once. Raphael will be informed of his role and will be waiting for you at the stables.” 

“Understood.” Lorenz says firmly. “I will not fail you, Claude.” 

“I know you won’t, my friend.” 

* * *

_ Arianrhod, west of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus _

After Arundel’s departure, things had calmed down at Arianrhod. Like Edelgard and Hubert had suspected, the infiltrated Agarthans had spent most of the first night scavenging for any type of weapons or technology from Cornelia’s lab. And, because of Byleth and Linhard’s earlier job, the Agarthans hadn’t found anything usable. 

Another thing that had surprised Byleth was how calm and composed the people of Arianrhod were after learning that the city was now in the hands of the Empire. One of the things Byleth had expected was for the people to rebel or start riots against Edelgard. Instead, it had been the opposite, with many aiding the Empire troops and offering shelter as well as places to cook and heal the injured. 

When Byleth had asked Dorothea about it, the brunette had explained to her that Cornelia was not a kind nor fair ruler. Taxes had been so high that the people were starving on a daily basis, and that now under Edelgard’s rule, they were getting access to food, water and commodities that before hadn’t been available. 

“ _ Just like Ingrid told us weeks ago.”  _ Sothis says in her head.  _ “It’s only on the outside that the Kingdom looks prosperous and well.”  _

Byleth nods in agreement. 

“I wonder how she’s doing?” she murmurs. 

“How who’s doing?” a familiar voice asks and she turns around to see Lysithea staring at her. 

Byleth smiles apologetically, not knowing if she was allowed to tell others about Ingrid’s position as a spy for the Empire. 

“I see.” Lysithea smiles knowingly at her. “Don’t worry, I won’t pry if it’s something you aren’t allowed to say.” 

_ “That’s nice of her.”  _ Sothis murmurs. 

“Thank you.” 

_ “Too nice…”  _ the girl adds suspiciously. 

“Since you weren’t able to answer me that question, I feel you owe me an answer to a question you can answer.” Lysithea smirks. 

_ There it is,  _ Byleth and Sothis think at the same time. 

The mercenary nods in agreement to Lysithea’s proposal. 

“Edelgard told me that you were a mercenary before she offered you a job as her personal guard. And while your skills with weapons are clearly learned from your time as a mercenary and by training with other mercenaries, your magic is not.” 

Byleth stares carefully at her. 

“You have white magic. Magic that is usually correlated to faith.” 

“Hence correlated with the Church.” Byleth smiles at her. “I learned the few magic spells I know from a priest/mage during my childhood. I guess this priest took pity on me and taught me enough to survive.” 

The priest that immediately comes to mind is Seteth, who had been instructed by Rhea to teach her white magic. Although she had told Lysithea that the man had taught her magic to help her survive, the truth was another. Right from the start, Seteth had despised teaching her. Every day he told her that he only taught her magic because he had been ordered to by the Archbishop. And during the lessons, his teachings were so exhausting and gruelling that Byleth dreaded to use her magic in front of him. 

There were even times where he pushed her so much that she fainted from the exertion, leaving him bitter and frustrated at her apparent lack of progress. 

_ “Why won’t you show yourself?”  _ he had said one day after he thought she was asleep from exhaustion. 

_ “Byleth…”  _ Sothis says in her head sadly. 

_ “I never discovered what he was trying to do with me.”  _ she confesses to Sothis.  _ “But what he did do was teach me enough white magic to use in case of emergencies or to surprise my enemies.”  _

“I see.” Lysithea murmurs, interrupting the inner conversation the two were having. “That does make sense. I apologize if my question was insensitive.” 

“I know you asked me because you were curious.” Byleth smiles at her. “And while it is assumed that for white magic you need to have faith in the goddess, in my case, that’s not how I channel my magic.” 

This surprises Lysithea. 

“The faith I use for my spells comes from believing in myself and my capabilities.” the mercenary explains. “Rather than put my faith in a goddess I haven’t met, I choose to put that faith in my training and my skills.” 

“And you have enough faith in those that it allows you to power your spells.” the dark mage murmurs. “Fascinating. The Church would find that type of teaching sacrilegious though.” 

“Aren’t we here to make sure that’s no longer the case? So that the Church’s truth is not absolute and other opinions and views get accepted as well?” 

Lysithea nods in agreement. 

“I didn’t expect you to be this insightful and knowledgeable about magic.” Lysithea admits to her. “I am pleasantly surprised to find I was mistaken.” 

“Considering you’re one of the best dark mages in all of Fodlan, I will take that as a compliment. And while your dark magic is powerful enough, perhaps now that you know how I channel my white magic you’ll be interested in learning healing magic?” 

“That would be a helpful spell to learn.” Lysithea smiles. “Thank you again for offering to teach me, Professor.” 

“I’m happy to find that there’s something I can teach you.” Byleth smiles and notices Caspar walking towards them. 

“Teacher! Lysithea! What are you up to?” he asks them with a smile. 

“I was just discussing some magic theory with the Professor.” Lysithea huffs. “You know, she’s more than just weapons and punches.” 

“And what’s wrong about using weapons and punches, huh?” the warrior taints her and Byleth can see Lysithea rising to the bait. 

“Anyway, I need to check some other things…” Byleth says as she walks away, realizing that neither Caspar nor Lysithea had noticed yet that she was gone. 

_ “Children.”  _ Sothis huffs but Byleth can sense the affection in her voice. 

“It’s soothing to see that even after a gruelling battle they can get back to behaving like they normally do. That these battles are not getting the best of them.” 

“Indeed.” Sothis appears next to her. “They’ve been fighting for two years now. So to see that they’re still capable of caring for their peers and treating each other as usual is a good sign.” 

Byleth nods. 

“You won’t be able to hide the truth about where you came from for much longer.” Sothis reminds her. “The closer we get to Garreg Mach, the closer we’ll get to facing your past. Even now, with a question as simple as your magic, it connects you to the Church.” 

“I know.” Byleth closes her eyes. “But at the same time how do I explain things? That I was kidnapped by the Archbishop and I don’t know why? That I also believe that they were trying to do something with me but I don’t know what? Information without answers will only bring more stress and worries to Edelgard.” 

“I can see your point.” Sothis agrees with her. “But at the same time wouldn’t she be able to help you find out what they were trying to do? Or perhaps introduce you to someone who may know?” 

“Maybe. I just... “ 

“You’re scared of how Edelgard will react when she finds out that the Archbishop trained and wanted you.” Sothis surmises. 

Byleth nods. 

“You’re overthinking things again! Not only that, but you’re also being inconsiderate of Edelgard and the trust she has placed in you. Hasn’t she proved to you that she’s worthy of your trust?” 

_ She has.  _

“Then all that remains is for you to let go of your fear and open up. When you talk of fear, I can sense how some of it is of how she will react. But I also sense another type of fear: A fear of finding the truth. 

Byleth can’t deny this. She was also scared of who she truly was and her connection to the Church. It didn’t take much to surmise that it wasn’t normal for the Church to kidnap a child and make-up intricate lies to make sure the child wasn’t discovered. 

No, they wouldn’t risk their reputation and people’s trust if it wasn’t something very important. 

And this is what scared Byleth. 

That to the Church she was someone of importance. Someone that they had believed for many years was dead. 

And ironically now she was following Edelgard, the Adrestian Emperor who was determined to break the doors of Garreg Mach on her path to freedom. 

The same doors that had hidden Byleth from the world many years ago. 

* * *

_ Fhirdiad, Capital of the Kingdom of Faerghus _

After spending the evening with Annette at the loyal library going over the head maid’s journal, Ingrid was ready to call it a day and head back home. While at first the mage’s discovery had seemed promising, the longer they spent reading the maid’s diary, the less hopeful they were about discovering something that could lead them to the identity of the mysterious Lady Patricia that had traveled with King Lambert and Dimitri. 

In fact, when Ingrid saw Annette nod off in the middle of reading a paragraph, the blonde knew it was time to call things off and reconvene the next day. 

“Annie.” she says softly as she nudges her friend. “We should head back home.” 

“Huh?” Annette wakes up, momentarily confused by her surroundings. “Oh right! It seems I must have fallen asleep. I’m sorry Ingrid.” she looks at the book in front of her. “It seems like this was just another wasted evening.” 

“Not at all.” the knight tells her with a smile. “We are on the right path to discovering what happened that day. And, it was because of you that we were able to discover that someone else traveled with King Lambert and Dimitri to Duscur.” 

Annette blushes at this compliment. 

“But this could all be for nothing.” Annette murmurs. “Especially if we are unable to get something more than a name from these journals.”

“That could be a possibility.” Ingrid admits. “But, now that we know what to look for, there are other places for us to search.” 

“You’re right. I just… I feel we’re onto something.” Annette pouts. “When I read that entry from the log, and then located the woman’s journals, I truly thought there would be something in her journal that detailed more about this Lady Patricia. It just seems surprising that the castle staff wouldn’t talk about her at all.” 

“Indeed. Almost as if they were told to keep it a secret at all costs.” Ingrid hypothesizes. “Which would also explain why she was never listed in any of the castle parties or on the guest logs.” 

Annette nods. 

“Right?! All of it just seems so strange! I thought that by going backwards from the date in which the entry was written would give us more information about her.” Annette murmurs and then opens her eyes. “But if it’s like we suspected and the castle staff was forbidden from speaking about her… What if that entry we read was the first time her name was used?” 

“Then that would mean that any other type of information about her would be in future dates.” Ingrid realizes what Annette is trying to say and goes to grab one of the remaining journals, which was dated days after the castle log. 

Skimming over the text quickly, it doesn’t take her more than five minutes to finally find what they were looking for. 

“Annie!” she says as she gets closer to her so the two can read from the book. “I found it!” 

“You did?!” the mage asks excitedly as she takes a look at the section Ingrid was pointing with her finger. 

**_Horsebow Moon, Imperial Year 1176_ **

**_It has been weeks since our King and Prince left the castle and we can all feel their absence. Not only had we grown accustomed to the laughs of His Majesty and His Royal Highness, but there is also a sense of peace and relaxation between the castle staff that had not been felt since Lady Patricia arrived. Goddess, please do not judge me for saying this, but we are relieved that she’s no longer at the castle. All the secrecy, the hidden passages that have to be used to bring her food to her chambers… It was all causing such burden on the staff that I believe it was only a matter of time before one broke and revealed the lady’s presence._ **

Ingrid and Annette look at each other, surprised by the maid’s statement and wondering what it was that made the King want to keep Lady’s Patricia presence at the castle a secret. 

**_Admitting this to you is making me feel so guilty, Goddess, for how can I be relieved at the absence of the woman who has captured my King’s and his son’s heart? It’s impossible to deny how those two have been happier ever since she arrived to Fhirdiad. But, at the same time, it is also impossible to miss her own sorrow. And a part of me wants to help her. For how can it be that a woman like that is forced to stay hidden in one of the castle’s secret rooms? Oh Goddess, if you only knew! But you probably already know. How this woman is locked away in a room where no one but the King and Saint Cornelia, know she is at._ **

**_It is this secret, and the repercussions of this information getting out, what has so many of us fear for our own safety._ **

**_Please Goddess, do not judge me for telling you this._ **

“She was a prisoner.” Ingrid whispers, completely shocked by the revelations of the maid’s journal. “And the King and Cornelia knew about it.” 

“We can’t exactly assume that’s the case.” Annette says, trying to understand what they had just read. “Just because she was kept in her room, that doesn’t mean she was…” 

“Annie.” she says softly. “No one but those two and the castle staff knew about it. Not only that, the staff was threatened about revealing Lady Patricia’s presence at the castle.” 

Annette remains silent, knowing that her friend was correct in her assumptions. It’s just, she had always idolized King Lambert. Not only had he been willing to create alliances with other countries but he was also a revolutionary because of how he changed the education system in Faerghus. 

Before King Lambert became King, Faerghus had limited their education to only the noble families and their children. While some argued that this was due to the Kingdom’s limited resources, everyone knew that it truly was to ensure that the commoners wouldn’t have the tools and the means to rise against the nobles. A retrograde thought, but since rising against the nobility was what the nobles of Faerghus had done against the Adrestian Empire, it wasn’t unexpected of them to believe this could happen again. 

Yet when King Lambert took the crown, he immediately changed things by allowing the people of Faerghus to explore their talents as they wished and pursue their wished careers. Rather than let tradition and decorum rule over Faerghus, King Lambert had been open to allowing people to showcase their abilities and be rewarded for their expertise. 

It had been that change in the educational system that had let Annette study to become a mage and go to the Royal School of Sorcery after her father abandoned their family. If traditional beliefs had been held, then Annette would have been made to stay home and learn from her mother more ‘feminine’ work such as embroidery, cooking, ironing, etc. 

So to now hear that the same man had knowingly kept a woman imprisoned was deeply troubling to her. 

“No matter how we read this, it doesn’t sound good.” Annette admits. “And, from what the diary says, the only person that was still alive and knew about this arrangement just died at Arianrhod.” 

“Even then we couldn’t have asked her without revealing ourselves.” Ingrid mutters. “And, I don’t know about you, but I’m not upset about Cornelia’s demise.” 

“I can’t say I disagree with you on that.” Annette admits, having also felt that the mage was hiding many things from them and had her own plans regarding the war. 

They just had never been able to prove it. 

“Does this mean then that we’re at a dead end?” Ingrid asks softly. 

“I don’t think so.” Annette says as she re-reads the journal’s entry. “The maid is talking about a secret room. And, I remember seeing in the castle’s schematics a group of rooms that fit the descriptions she gives.” 

“You mean there are rooms in the castle that can be accessed through secret doors and passages?” 

Annette nods. 

“I know where they are.” she says confidently. “And, we can go to them right now.” she stands up, taking the journal with her as she leads Ingrid to the back of the library. “All of the castle is connected to a secret path of passages that grants access to most of the common areas. Staff uses them to move around during big events so they’re not seen.” 

“Interesting.” Ingrid murmurs as she watches Annette move a bookshelf sideways, revealing a big wooden door. “How did you even know this was here?” 

“It was in the castle schematics that can be found in this same library.” Annette shrugs. “I spent a lot of time reading most of the books here, so I think at one point I found a book talking about it and grew curious enough to explore some of the passages.” 

“You really are fascinating.” Ingrid says in complete awe, making Annette blush. “Really, this is incredible.” she adds as Annette uses a key to open the door. 

“I…” the mage says as she chuckles. “Thank you.” she accepts the compliment and guides Ingrid forward to the passages. 

As the two make their way in, Ingrid can’t help but gasp at what she was seeing. While she was expecting the hidden passages to look like the ones of Arianrhod, the ones of the palace were beautiful. Decorated with paintings depicting the history of Faerghus since its early beginnings to the creation of the palace at Fhirdiad; it was all there, painted on the numerous walls surrounding them. 

“This is marvelous.” Ingrid whispers as she gets close to one of the murals. “The artistry and intricate craftsmanship of these paintings…” she turns around to see Annette smiling at her. “Just, this has been here this whole time without anyone to see it.” 

Annette nods. 

“Which is sad.” Annette agrees as she creates a fireball with her hand and lights one of the torches laying around. “But at the same time, you can’t really show to people the hidden passages that connect the castle, right?” she chuckles. “But it goes back to what you were telling me the other day… About all of this wealth and culture being hidden, rotting and wasting away.” 

“Indeed.” she smiles sadly. “The part of me that loved Fhirdiad and the castle is so excited to see this.” she admits. 

“Then I’m happy we were able to see it.” Annette tells her kindly. “A reminder of what we used to love about this place.” she whispers but Ingrid hears her clearly. “Anyway, the rooms we are looking for are further to the right. I think there are three total, so we’ll have to go into each one and hope there’s something in one of those rooms that tells us more about Lady Patricia.” 

“If the staff didn’t take things out of the room the moment Dimitri returned from Duscur.” Ingrid says softly, reminded both of the possibility. 

Nodding, the two women move towards the rooms, making sure of not disturbing anything around them nor to make any noises that would alert people of their presence. 

“While we should be able to move freely, I’m not sure if the people back at the castle can hear if something falls.” Annette muses as she turns right and stops at the end of a corner. “And I don’t feel like testing this right now.” 

Ingrid nods in agreement. 

“Is it one of these rooms?” she asks as she watches Annette open one bedroom, the two taking a quick look inside and not noticing anything amiss. 

“It should be.” she pouts and moves to the next, being able to open it to find the same thing as the room before. “But maybe you’re right and they cleaned the room to make sure no one would find anything.” 

“I don’t think so.” Ingrid huffs as she’s trying to push open the door of the last bedroom. “If not, this door wouldn’t be locked.” 

Annette smiles, moving next to her so she can help her push. 

“Alright, let’s push at the same time. Now!” the mage says and both women push, the door budging and almost falling to the ground were it not for Ingrid holding it tight. 

“I need help.” the blonde pants as she does her best to make sure the door doesn’t fall down, worried that the noise might alert someone of their presence. 

“Coming!” Annette rushes and helps Ingrid by grabbing the door from the other side, the two slowly pushing it towards the wall and only letting go once the door is safely placed right next to it. 

“I don’t see anything different.” Ingrid whispers as she takes a look around the room. “Decor looks pretty much the same.” 

“True. But, there are some books in here that the other rooms didn’t have.” Annette says as she bends down to grab one. “And, the sheets of the beds look newer than the others.” 

“So someone  _ was  _ here.” Ingrid says somberly as she notices a small desk next to the bed. “Annie, look at this.” she grabs what looks like a notebook from the desk and brings it to Annette, who was holding the torch. “It’s another diary.” 

“This one though, belonging to Lady Patricia.” Annette says sadly as she opens the first page and reads the name on the top page. “You were right Ingrid.” she closes her eyes. “Lady Patricia was kept in this room that whole time.” 

* * *

_ Garreg Mach Monastery _

Staring at the sky above her, Rhea can’t help but think of how similar things were now looking to the times when she was called Seiros. Another enemy hellbent on destroying all she had built-- a new world for humans to live in peace and prosperity guided by the teachings of her mother-- out of desperation and ignorance. A silly Emperor, who had been lied to and used by the greedy nobles that were funding her war; and a desperate King seeking to destroy the person he thought was the one responsible for the death of his family. 

Justice, all of them would say, was what they were fighting for. 

Then again, Nemesis and the Agarthans had claimed the same thing millenia before.

And just like it had happened then, Rhea was going to show the Emperor and her group of supporters where justice truly was. 

“With me.” she whispers darkly, walking back to her chambers in hopes of getting some rest. 

After receiving news from Mercedes about the Kingdom’s plan to attack Enbarr, Rhea had been suspicious of King Dimitri’s true plans. Not only were the dolls that the Kingdom planned to use made of Agarthan technology, which had been discovered by Seteth after a secret trip to Arianrhod; but the woman using them seemed to be hiding something from the Kingdom’s nobles that didn’t sit well with Rhea. 

Regardless, she was not going to reveal that the dolls were technology from the ancient past. And, it wasn’t impossible for a mage as talented as Cornelia to figure out the necessary spells to activate the dolls. But, this sudden reappearance of Agarthan technology did make her send some Knights of Seiros on expeditions to try to find any other traces of Agarthan technology or the Agarthans themselves. 

The Agarthans had been driven to the shadows because of her, so it would be foolish to believe that they wouldn’t wish for revenge at some point in time. 

Still, Rhea couldn’t deny that she had been somehow curious to see how the King’s gamble would turn out. While the dolls would damage the crops and houses of the people who shared borders with Enbarr, it wasn’t a lie that the dolls had the same destructive power of several battalions. 

Then things changed when one of her spies, who had asked for permission to enter her chambers followed by Seteth, Flayn and Mercedes, announced that the Empire attacked Arianrhod. 

“We just got the news that the Empire launched an attack on Arianrhod, Emperor Edelgard leading the troops herself.” 

Oh the surprise and awe she felt at the Emperor’s audacity. In fact, a part of Rhea couldn’t help but admire the younger woman for realizing what Dimitri was planning to do and then strike back as fast as she could. Truly, in that regard she was very similar to Wilhelm, who never hesitated and did what was necessary for Fodlan. 

For her. 

“So regrettable to see her choosing the wrong side.” she had whispered, remembering darker but at the same time brighter times where the Hresvelg fought next to her. “And to think that I will be the one responsible for striking down your scion, Wilhelm.” she added somberly, not noticing how this statement had been heard by all the people in the room.

Nevertheless, it didn’t take long for the spy to come back with confirmation of what Rhea had suspected would happen. 

The Empire had conquered Arianrhod. 

Apparently, the Empire’s Strike Force had somehow been able to infiltrate the fortress and attack from inside the citadel while the main army had acted as bait at the front gates, with Edelgard using a decoy to trick Lord Rodrigue into sending most of his forces to battle that army. 

“It should have been impossible to launch a surprise attack on the Silver Maiden.” Flayn says softly after watching the spy leave. “It’s why it hasn’t been invaded since the Rowe family joined the Kingdom.” 

Mercedes nods in agreement. 

“How they got in makes no difference.” Rhea tells them. “The fact is, the Kingdom does not have any nearby troops to send to try to recover Arianrhod. Hence, what Dimitri will have to do is make sure the troops reconvene at Fhirdiad.” 

“It will be closer and the army will have more time to prepare for the Empire’s arrival.” Seteth agrees with Rhea’s statement. 

“We all know what that child’s objective is.” she stares at the three people in the room. “This place. And, by taking Fhirdiad, she is ensuring she can attack Garreg Mach from multiple locations.” 

“Then wouldn’t it make sense for her to get access to Leicester as well?” Flayn asks. 

“With the result of this battle, I’m afraid we’ll have some nobles choosing to side with the Empire.” Rhea says darkly. “Nobles that have grown too comfortable in their houses and need to be reminded who it was that gave them what they now have.” 

“Rhea…” Seteth warns her. 

“Mercedes.” she addresses the priestess, who has been fearfully watching their exchange. “Go back to Fhirdiad and inform Dimitri of our suspicions.” she tells her confidently. “Also, tell him that he should go ahead and think of what this reminds him of and if he'll be able to do what his predecessor Loog did many years ago.” she smirks as she watches Mercedes open her eyes in shock, nod and then run away. 

“Rhea.” Flayn whispers. “Don’t tell me you’re thinking of…” 

“Oh yes.” the older woman smiles. “What better way to stop this foolish rebellion by making Edelgard experience defeat at the same place her predecessor did?” she smirks. “Our presence at the Tailtean Plains will be the last thing that foolish Emperor sees.”


	26. Discoveries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following their discovery of Patricia's diary, Ingrid and Annette brace themselves for what they're about to read. Back in Arianrhod, Byleth starts to panic when she realizes that she'll need to tell Edelgard and the Black Eagles the truth about her past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has a very awesome surprise! Hope you all like it and let me know what you think :)

_Arianrhod, west of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus_

After her talk with Lysithea, Caspar and Sothis, Byleth had spent the rest of her day alone. Although she felt relief in knowing that the Agarthans had not taken anything from the ashes of Cornelia’s lab and that the citizens of Arianrhod were not against the Empire’s occupation; Byleth now had to think of unpleasant things. 

_Like telling Edelgard of my connection to the Archbishop and the Church of Seiros,_ she thinks worriedly as she walks around the citadel. 

During her whole life, Byleth had been used to living and acting alone, only caring about her own survival. That usually meant that she didn’t need to tell the people who at times accompanied her on missions much about herself nor her life. But everything was different now. And because things were different, she finds herself wondering what will happen when she tells Edelgard and the Black Eagles the truth about her upbringing. 

About her time spent at Garreg Mach. 

Usually, Byleth found it easy to get over her fears. Because of her profession, she didn’t exactly have time to feel scared nor hesitate on the battlefield. Doing so was what had allowed her to survive as a mercenary for so long. Hence, she found it truly ironic that this fear she had conquered many times before was now preventing her from speaking to Edelgard and the others. 

Her, the Ashen Demon, had become a victim of her own fear. 

Fear of how Edelgard would react to her connection to Rhea and Garreg Mach. 

Fear of how the Black Eagles would see her after knowing the truth about her upbringing. 

Fear of what this all meant for Byleth and the repercussions of telling the world her secret. 

Fear of knowing that the only way to figure things out was by returning to the same place she had sworn she would never go back to. 

“And yet here I am, helping the Emperor on her war path to Garreg Mach.” she murmurs to herself as she sits down under the shade of a tree. “I’ve become such a hypocrite, for all I’ve said I would never do I have ended up doing.” she chuckles bitterly. 

Still, Byleth couldn’t say that she regretted her choices. 

On the contrary, she was happy she had accepted Edelgard’s job offer all those months ago. 

If she hadn’t, she would have never gotten to know the Black Eagles, who were slowly becoming the family she never knew she needed. Ferdinand, Dorothea, Bernadetta, Petra, Linhardt, Caspar, Hubert, Lysithea and Ingrid… 

“They have changed me.” the mercenary admits to herself, smiling at the realization that she was getting better at understanding the emotions and feelings she was now experiencing. 

And Edelgard… 

She was more than what words could explain. The bond she felt with the Adrestian Emperor was different to the one she felt with the other Black Eagles. It was a bond that she couldn’t completely understand and that confused and excited her at the same time. 

But what she did know was that she would give her life for Edelgard no matter what. 

And not because it was her duty to do so. 

“Because she means the world to me.” she admits, the realization of how much Edelgard meant to her making her stop her inner thoughts for a moment. 

Just what did this mean in regards to her relationship with Edelgard? 

Was it right for friends to care for each other this way? Was it natural? 

And why was it that the word friends felt so small when it came to her bond with Edelgard? 

She had so many questions that should have had simple answers. 

And yet here she was, hiding away from the Black Eagles and over thinking things. 

“Byleth?” she hears a familiar voice behind her and knows she can’t hide her surprise well when she sees Edelgard smirk. “Is it really that surprising to see me here?” 

Byleth nods. 

“It’s just, you must be so busy with making sure things are going well, with the locals not revolting and the troops well fed and...” Byleth rambles, blushing at the realization that the Emperor has yet again made her act like a babbling fool. 

Edelgard laughs. 

“It really is soothing to see that some things don’t change even during these strenuous times.” she says as she sits down next to her. “And well, I do have generals and a staff that can take care of things for a while as I take a break.” 

“Of course.” Byleth murmurs, feeling embarrassed of the word mouth she had just thrown at the Emperor. “I… I don’t really know what to say.” she admits after a moment. 

Edelgard smiles kindly at her. 

“If you don’t want to, we don’t have to speak. Your company is enough for me.” 

_If only I could say yes,_ Byleth thinks sadly as all the questions and concerns she has come back to mind.

_I could just tell her the truth right here and now._

_It would just take a couple of words and it’s done._

_I can do it._

_I will do it._

_I can’t do it._

_COWARD._

“Byleth?” she manages to hear Edelgard’s voice and this makes her refocus on her surroundings. “It seemed like you went somewhere else for a moment there.” 

The mercenary nods. 

“I’m sorry.” she closes her eyes. “I just have so many questions and thoughts that I wish to tell you. And for some reason I can’t find the right way to express myself.” she groans. “It’s really disorienting.” 

“When I told you about my childhood, I felt the same way.” Edelgard admits to her. “I had all of these other things I could have told you that night, and for a moment I really considered not telling you the truth.” 

“Why did you tell me the truth?” Byleth is truly curious to know. 

“Because I was afraid you would be disappointed in me after discovering that I hid things from you.” 

_Oh._

“And that you would wish to leave once you realized that I’m not a good person.” Edelgard smiles sadly at her. 

And that smile, it was as if Edelgard truly believed she wasn’t good nor that she deserved the loyalty and friendship of the people around her. 

It broke Byleth’s heart. 

“Never.” the mercenary says firmly as she grabs Edelgard’s hands. “I would never leave you.” 

“Byleth…” the Emperor says softly. 

“And I’m not saying this because I’m your personal guard and it’s my duty to protect you.” she clarifies. “I…” she freezes, not knowing how to express what she’s feeling. “I…” she closes her eyes, feeling tears of frustration fall from her eyes at her inability to say what she wants to. 

_Just why was it so difficult for her to express herself?_

“Byleth.” Edelgard whispers, confused and worried at seeing the warrior be in so much pain and sorrow. “Please tell me how I can help you.” she gets closer to Byleth, using her hand to brush away her tears. “I hate seeing you in so much pain.” 

“I…” Byleth opens her eyes, only now realizing how close the Emperor had gotten to her, the sight of lavender eyes making all her fears and worries disappear. 

_She’s so beautiful…_

Not completely understanding her own actions, Byleth decides to trust her instincts and let go, fully allowing Edelgard to see how weak and confused she felt. To let the Emperor see that she wasn’t the strong, fearless and ruthless Ashen Demon that many knew her to be. 

That instead she was a lost, afraid and confused soul that was now feeling too much at the same time. 

And to Edelgard, to watch Byleth surrender to her true emotions, to let her see deeper into the mystery of the person she was… 

It meant everything to her. 

Not sure if this was the right thing to do, but desperately needing to respond to Byleth’s trust with her own, Edelgard moved closer still, making sure the mercenary could see what she was about to do. 

Taking one last look at their surroundings, when she’s satisfied that there’s no else around, the Emperor closes her eyes once and nods, reassuring herself of what she was about to do. 

“Edelgard?” Byleth asks her, confused at the Emperor’s sudden silence. 

Counting mentally up to three, Edelgard uses one of her hands to take her left glove off, letting Byleth fully see the scars on her hand. 

“Edelgard…” the mercenary whispers as she watches Edelgard take another breath before using her now gloveless hand to take off her other glove, leaving her hands bare for Byleth to see. 

Speechless at Edelgard’s gesture, Byleth is completely unprepared for the sensation of the Emperor’s hands on her cheeks, the scars now impossible to miss due to their closeness and the fact that Edelgard was touching her without her gloves. 

Looking up, Byleth can see how nervous Edelgard is feeling, almost as if she expects Byleth to push her hands away and recoil in disgust. 

Yet all the mercenary can think of is how beautiful Edelgard is and how soft her hands feel on top of her cheeks. 

Nodding, and wanting to reassure Edelgard that her touch was welcomed, Byleth slowly moves her own hands on top of Edelgard’s, who freezes for a moment before nodding and relaxing at Byleth’s touch. 

Closing their eyes at all the sensations coming from this innocent and yet extremely personal moment, neither woman is sure of how it happens, but at one point Edelgard’s hands move to lower Byleth’s head, leaving her forehead right in front of the Emperor’s lips.

Momentarily confused, it is only when she sees Edelgard close her eyes that Byleth realizes what’s about to happen. 

“My brave, wonderful knight.” Edelgard whispers, sealing her words of awe and admiration with a soft kiss on the warrior’s forehead. “Thank you for cherishing me.” 

And the moment Byleth feels the Emperor’s lips on her forehead, that’s the moment she realizes what it is that she’s feeling for Edelgard. 

Love.

_I think I’m in love with Edelgard._

* * *

_Fhirdiad, Capital of the Kingdom of Faerghus_

After finding Lady Patricia’s diary, Ingrid and Annette had needed a moment to fully grasp what this meant. Not only had the maid’s words been verified, but now they also had to deal with the fact that King Lambert and Cornelia had knowingly kept this woman hidden and under lock at the Royal Palace. 

One that neither Ingrid nor Annette were comfortable in accepting due to how much King Lambert meant to them. To Ingrid, he had been a father-like figure that she had gotten to know and cherish during her childhood. And to Annette, he was a king she had admired for all of his contributions to education and politics. 

So to discover that he had kept the existence of this woman a secret in collaboration with Cornelia was deeply unsettling. 

“One part of me is a little scared of what we will find in this diary.” Annette admits to her with a sad smile. “I knew that we were going to find some uncomfortable truths the moment we decided to learn the truth of what happened at Duscur…” she closes her eyes. “But to read that the King was involved in something like this as well and that it’s somehow connected to his demise…” 

Ingrid nods in agreement. 

“I understand.” she really does. “King Lambert was a man I grew up admiring for his courage and chivalry. So to discover that he kept the existence of this woman a secret from everyone… And that somehow Cornelia was involved in all of it…” she takes a deep breath. “It’s really upsetting. But, we need to learn the truth Annette. For the innocents that perished at Duscur and all the others that were silenced to keep the lie alive.” 

_For Glenn._

“I know.” the ginger woman takes a deep breath and determinedly opens the diary, knowing that this place was the best one to read its contents. 

**_Great Tree Moon, Imperial Year 1171_ **

**_Am I a coward? I am. I know that very well. Leaving my home behind, leaving my daughter behind… Can I really call myself a mother after abandoning my child? A part of me knows that she’s safe and that soothes me. That my presence at the Capital does nothing but endanger her and gives my husband’s enemies tools to use against him. I’m no fool. I’ve heard the other nobles whisper in the middle of the night… How they’re seeking revolution and blood. How they want to stop the Emperor from enacting rules that put their autonomy in danger. How my brother is getting involved with those same nobles by whispering suggestions and plans…_ **

**_Do not get me wrong: while I have no loyalty for the Emperor, I do not wish any harm to come to his family. And I know he loves me. That it’s his duty to give the Empire multiple heirs and as such must take multiple wives. Which is why all the others have also run away, wanting to hide themselves from his enemies so as not to endanger their children._ **

**_Which is why I’m running away. At the moment, I’m not sure of where I’ll go, but all I know is that I need to get out of Adrestia. Perhaps she’ll be able to help me. Last I heard of her, she had found patronage at Faerghus. Maybe she will vouch for me and help me find a new place to begin anew?_ **

**_Only time will tell…_ **

Taking a break, Ingrid and Annette stare at each other, shocked by what they were reading. Lady Patricia was from the Empire. And not only that, but she had been a concubine of Emperor Ionius von Hresvelg IX, who was the last Emperor of Adrestia before Edelgard took the throne. And, from what the two had read, Patricia had believed that a woman in Faerghus would help her. 

Knowing that they needed more information, the two go to the next entry in the diary. 

**_Red Wolf Moon, Imperial Year 1171_ **

**_As Cornelia said, it hasn’t been too difficult to get used to life in Fhirdiad. Although it took me a couple of months to adjust to the way the nobility and commoners acted here, I can’t say I dislike it. Unlike in Adrestia, where the two social classes are kept apart, Fhirdiad is embracing the differences. Apparently King Lambert just changed legislation, meaning that regardless of your social status, if you had the aptitudes for a job as well as the talent, then the Kingdom would sponsor you. That, in response, has led to many commoners enrolling in magic schools as well as government jobs. And nobles, who had been used to getting the best jobs due to their status now have to train and prepare more to be able to compete against the commoners._ **

**_Still, I can’t help but think of my life in Adrestia and of my daughter. It was her birthday last month and all I wished to do was to have her in my arms. I haven’t heard any news regarding the Empire, and I hope that’s because nothing has happened yet and that my family is safe. Cornelia is telling me that I need to let go of the past and embrace my new life here. And I get where she’s coming from, with her having become one of King Lambert’s best mages and healers. Truly, I’m happy for her. But I can’t just go and forget about my daughter._ **

**_She will always be the person I love most._ **

**_Still, as I find myself preparing for the Founding Day’s Ball, I also wonder if in time I’ll be able to move on. And, as much as I hate to admit this, a selfish part of me wants to be able to._ **

**_Lone Moon, Imperial Year 1171_ **

**_It has been four months since we first met at the ball. And, just like it had been when I met Ionius all those years ago, I could see the way his eyes fell on me. Is it rude of me to say that unlike that time, when I felt my heart flutter as Ionius’ gaze and mine met, this time nothing of the sort happened? After the ball, Cornelia had been truly excited about this encounter. Couldn’t stop telling me how the King had asked her about me. Whether it would be possible for her to arrange a meeting. And after that meeting occurred, I found myself courted by him, promised a new life protected from my past in Enbarr and the people persecuting me to hurt my daughter._ **

**_How could I say no to that?_ **

**_I found myself believing his promises of new beginnings, found myself meeting his son and seeing in him the same hope and wonder that Lambert had in his eyes. Found myself accepting Lambert’s vow of love and his ring._ **

**_And for a moment, it felt as if I had found a new purpose. Life had taken my child away from me and now it was giving me another chance to do right by this sweet and kind boy. To raise him right and make him be the man I knew he could be._ **

**_Yet now that the year is ending, I also find myself thinking of my sweet daughter and how she liked me to read stories to her at night. While Dimitri is wonderful, pretty quickly I realized that he wasn’t my daughter. Could never replace her enthusiasm, her innocence and her bravery._ **

**_Please Goddess, please help me forget and be able to move on._ **

**_Garland Moon, Imperial Year 1172_ **

**_How I long for you, my sweet child. Today that it’s your birthday, I find myself missing you more than ever. You’re now ten years old, and for the second year in a row, I find myself unable to see nor hold you in my arms. Life very quickly turned into what I knew at Enbarr once Lambert’s excitement diminished. And, because of my previous relationship with Ionius, my presence at Fhirdiad has to be kept a secret from everyone._ **

**_For my protection, Lambert told me when he explained what was happening at Enbarr with the Insurrection of the Seven._ **

**_And I understand, I really do. But as I find myself locked in this room, I can’t help but feel that yet again I have been trapped by the desires and selfishness of a king. First Ionius, promising me eternal love and then apologizing to me for putting his duty above his own feelings… Now it’s Lambert, begging me to not leave and hold on for a bit until things calm down in Enbarr. That Dimitri and him loved me too much to see me go._ **

**_Thank the Goddess Cornelia is by my side, accompanying me during most days in this exile. Her presence, while at times soothing, is also my opportunity to keep up with news of Enbarr. I know the King forbade her to tell me about it, but Cornelia never liked that._ **

**_I’m grateful Cornelia is my friend._ **

**_I feel like a caged bird, one that is only taken out when needed to perform or by the whims of its owners._ **

**_And my daughter, I had no idea how much I would miss you. How much I long to hold you again._ **

**_Please Goddess, please protect her during these turbulent times at Enbarr. Take my sadness, pain and suffering and keep her safe._ **

**_She’s all I have in the world._ **

**_And my daughter, if there’s the opportunity we ever meet again, please do not hate me. Please let me explain that all I did, I did it for you._ **

**_You, Edelgard, are all that matters to me._ **

“Edelgard.” Ingrid whispers, completely shocked. “Edelgard is Patricia’s child.”

“I…” Annette tries to say something, left speechless after all they had read. “I can’t believe it.” 

“And if Patricia married King Lambert then that means Edelgard is Dimitri’s stepsister.” Ingrid adds, not understanding how it had been possible for a secret of this magnitude to stay hidden for so long. 

“Do you think they know?” Annette asks her. “Dimitri and Edelgard?” 

“I can’t say for Edelgard, but it would explain why Dimitri took it so personally when Edelgard revealed to us that she was the Flame Emperor.” she opens her eyes as she remembers all Dimitri had said that day. “How he said she had been responsible for killing her father and stepmother. At the time it was confusing when he said it, but after reading this, he meant _their_ mother. He was accusing Edelgard of killing her own mother.” 

“And that’s what made her betrayal so personal.” Annette realizes. 

“But at the same time it doesn’t make complete sense.” Ingrid groans. “Even if you know that you share a mother, that doesn’t mean you will be close to that other person. And the way he reacted, we’ve all said it was because Edelgard hurt him personally.” 

“So it’s not only that he believes Edelgard killed their mother but there’s something else we’re missing.” Annette surmises as she looks at the diary in front of them. “We are still not done with the diary.” she reminds Ingrid. 

Ingrid nods. 

“Perhaps the remaining answers we seek will be here as well.” she smiles sadly. “I just… Am afraid of what else we’ll come to discover.” 

* * *

Dedue wasn’t a man who said many words. On the contrary, he preferred to keep his opinions to himself and just speak when it was truly necessary. Many thought he was this way because of his past; with him seeing his family and whole country be annihilated by Faerghus. And while this was in part true, the reality was that he had already been a person that didn’t say a lot. 

To Dedue, words held meaning; and when you talked too much it usually meant that you were trying to either justify or excuse your actions to others. 

Yet now he found himself speaking more, talking with healers, mages and mystics regarding His Majesty’s mental state. It hadn’t been difficult for him to see the signs once he got to know Dimitri more, how there was a darkness within him waiting for the right opportunity to come out. 

Opportunities that came during His Majesty’s moments of violence and anger. 

There was a darkness in his eyes, and the way he talked when in anger terrified the Blue Lions. Dedue had seen the way Dimitri’s friends started creating some distance, not knowing when the Boar would come at them. 

And he didn’t blame them. 

Not when he at times found himself wondering the same thing. 

Making his way to His Majesty’s bedroom, he takes a deep breath to center himself and put on the back of his mind all the doubts and questions he had about Dimitri’s mental state. Right now he had a duty, which was to help His Majesty stay alive during this war. And while he also didn’t understand the King’s obsession with Emperor Edelgard, he was always going to support His Majesty. 

He owned him that much. 

Knocking three times, Dedue counts down from ten and then opens the door, wanting to give His Majesty enough time to stand up and act as if he was alright. It was something that the two of them knew wasn’t necessary, but to Dimitri, it meant a lot. 

Entering the room, he can see that surprisingly Dimitri is not standing up from his bed. Instead, he can see that the King was sitting in one of the room’s chairs, Mercedes standing in front of him. 

_When was it that she returned from Garreg Mach and why hadn’t he been informed of her arrival?_

“Your Majesty, I beg you to reconsider or ask for a second opinion.” Mercedes tells him sadly. “While I understand the arguments to the Archbishop’s proposal, at the same time it seems she wants to use your army as bait.” 

“Indeed.” Dimitri says with a smile. “I could also sense those were her intentions from the report you gave me. But then again, I am the one that knows this territory the best, right?” he chuckles. “Hence, can plan for the Archbishop’s plans to turn against her.” 

Mercedes stares at him, not knowing what he’s thinking. 

“Good job Mercedes. You can rest for the night, but tomorrow I want you to return to Garreg Mach and tell Archbishop Rhea that I agree with her plan.” he smirks. “Now go.” 

Watching Mercedes nod and then turn around and give him a sad smile before leaving the room, Dedue takes a look at His Majesty: His casual clothes as well as eye patch making him look like the King Dedue knew he could be. Regal, powerful and brave; that’s how Dedue had seen Dimitri when they first met all those years ago. 

Yet now those eyes were ones filled with anger and bitterness. Ever since he discovered that Edelgard was the Flame Emperor, Dimitri had been hellbent on making her pay. 

“Dedue.” Dimitri says as he watches him get close. “What news do you have of Arianrhod?” 

Dedue takes a deep breath, knowing that what he was about to tell His Majesty wasn’t going to be taken well. 

“We lost more soldiers than expected as well as all the dolls Mage Cornelia had. But, the soldiers that survived were spared and given the opportunity to return to the capital.” 

Dimitri remains silent. 

“And from what our spies within Arianrhod have told us, it seems that things in the city are looking well. The Empire is sharing their rations with the townspeople as well as lessening the taxes and economic burdens that were set-up by Cornelia. Hence, many have opened their doors and services to the Empire’s troops.” 

“Lies.” Dimitri mutters. “All lies of Edelgard to make them think she’s a fair ruler. But I know the truth. She’s just waiting for the right time to strike. Probably believes that we’ll hesitate to attack if our people are still in the citadel.” 

“Your Majesty…” Dedue whispers. “You can’t possibly consider launching an attack against your own people. Even if Imperial soldiers are stationed at the town, doing so would terrorize the other cities of the Kingdom as well as its nobles.” 

“I know.” he chuckles bitterly. “And that’s exactly why Edelgard is doing this. Cause she knows I won’t be able to attack until she strikes against me here at Fhirdiad.” he looks at his vassal, a crazed and desperate stare front and center. “But I have a plan, Dedue. One that will not fail me.” 

“Was that what you were discussing earlier with Mercedes?” he asks him. 

Dimitri nods. 

“Turns out the Archbishop herself was the one that gave me the idea. A perfect opportunity to make sure that Edelgard can’t escape our justice.” 

Dedue stares questioningly at him. 

“The Tailtean Plains Dedue. Those are our way to stop Edelgard before she reaches Fhirdiad and make sure her path of lies and deceit ends.” 

“What would the Church do there?” 

“Be our bait.” he chuckles. “Entertain the Empire for long enough so that we can go in and overwhelm them.” 

“I don’t think the Archbishop will take kindly to her troops being used as bait.” 

Dimitri laughs. 

“Indeed.” he smirks. “But she can’t really say something if doing so will bring an end to Edelgard, right?” he stands up, excitedly moving to his closet where he had his lance. “No Dedue, I know this is the way. The way for us to finally get justice. To avenge my father, my stepmother and all the people of Duscur that suffered at the lies of Edelgard. She will finally be mine to kill!” he laughs. 

_Dimitri…_ Dedue thinks sadly as he watches the man he once admired but still cared about, lose himself to his past demons and pain. 

“I will always stay by your side, my friend.” Dedue tells him somberly, knowing that there was no other place for him to be at. 

“Thank you my friend.” Dimitri smiles at him. “Once this is all over, you and I will be able to finally move on. To finally be at peace.” 

“I truly hope so, Your Majesty.” Dedue whispers, knowing that if there was any hope of bringing Dimitri back then they needed to win this battle. “I truly hope so.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The art featured in this chapter was done by the amazing Neet.  
> Please go ahead and follow their accounts!  
> Tumblr: https://n33t-freak.tumblr.com/  
> Twitter: https://twitter.com/n33tlord

**Author's Note:**

> I will try to update once a week depending on how fast I can continue writing :)


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